After spending the day wandering around Reykjavik, we slept like rocks and woke up the next morning ready to explore! The weather looked better than tomorrow so we decided to load up in our trusty Duster and head up North to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.  The pictures on the internet looked spectacular!

Example image:

Amazeballs!
Amazeballs!

Unfortunately, better weather turned out to be 20mph wind instead of 40 and only a little snow instead of driving blizzard to the face. So MY photos didn’t look *quite* as nice as the one above. 😉

Driving North.
Driving North.
Looks like light speed Star Wars shenanigans
Looks like light speed Star Wars shenanigans
Huge mountains to the right
Huge mountains to the right
Bet they're lovely when they're green
Bet they’re lovely when they’re green
Wait, the icy mountain pass is the better road option?
Wait, the icy mountain pass is the better road option?
This was a bit dicey on the downhill part... good thing we have studded tires...
This was a bit dicey on the downhill part… good thing we have studded tires…
you really get a sense for how extreme the environment can be up here...
you really get a sense for how extreme the environment can be up here…
End of the line. We went left.
End of the line. We went left.
Currently not precipitating.
Currently not precipitating.
Olafsvik prepared for New Years Eve!
Olafsvik prepared for New Years Eve!
Fishing boats in Olafsvik. We ran into the gas station for a hot dog and then headed out. There's not a lot here.
Fishing boats in Olafsvik. We ran into the gas station for a hot dog and then headed out. There’s not a lot here.

The west end of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is some sort of national park. We drove through a hellacious ice storm on the way there from Olafsvik.  The sky cleared up a bit afterwards though and we saw the sun for the first time in a few days! 🙂

Moody clouds and mountains
Moody clouds and mountains
sunset over the ocean
sunset over the ocean
Rocky and snowy beach
Rocky and snowy beach
Storm over the water
Storm over the water
Opening in the clouds.
Opening in the clouds.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
First glimpse of the ocean.
First glimpse of the ocean.
Abandoned house down a dirt road? Lets go check it out!
Abandoned house down a dirt road? Lets go check it out!
Road continues to the ocean
Road continues to the ocean
It amazes me that the chimney is still standing in the middle of the house.
It amazes me that the chimney is still standing in the middle of the house.
Mountain in the distance
Mountain in the distance
Of course there was graffiti inside the old house
Of course there was graffiti inside the old house
"To cold!" I agree...
“To cold!” I agree…
Iceland!
Iceland!

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There were so many old houses just left to the elements. I wanted to stop at pretty much every single one...
There were so many old houses just left to the elements. I wanted to stop at pretty much every single one…
Grass soaking up the sunshine
Grass soaking up the sunshine
Our trusty steed!
Our trusty steed!
Pony yawning. Life is hard!
Pony yawning. Life is hard!
Horses are so goofy sometimes.
Horses are so goofy sometimes.
Sunset. The day is over and it's time to head home.
Sunset. The day is over and it’s time to head home.

On a side note, along the route to the peninsula the highway goes through the Hvalfjörður Tunnel. It’s 18,930′ long.  Pretty nifty little tunnel. Like the ones in Virginia Beach only less semi truck traffic. I amused myself for a few minutes taking long exposure shots while we drove.

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Overall, this area looks like it would be utterly spectacular in good weather! Unfortunately, we didn’t have that this time.  When/if we come back in summer this is one of the places I’d like to come back to see!