Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) – Birds Market loop from Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

Hiking trails & Routes

Iceland

Snæfellsbær

Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) – Birds Market loop from Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

Easy

4.8

(20)

258

hikers

Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) – Birds Market loop from Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

00:43

2.69km

20m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 9, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

46 m

Arnarstapi Harbor

Highlight • Settlement

This lovely hamlet at the foot of the Stapafell, an imposing hill of 526m, has a particularly beautiful view of the south coast of the peninsula. It was once a …

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239 m

View of Lóndrangar (Lion Head Rock)

Highlight • Viewpoint

Viewpoint marked on the map. You can recognize the lion's head on the map.

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431 m

Pumpa, beach with lighthouse

Highlight • Beach

A beach with the Arnarstapi lighthouse in the background.

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590 m

Midgja Sea Cliffs and Seabird Colony

Highlight • Gorge

Most impressive, however, are the perpendicular rock holes, which are connected to the sea and are chosen as a favorite nesting place by the screeching seagulls. They are indicated with signs, Loch Midgja gives a good view into the depths.

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869 m

Rock Formations near Gatklettur

Highlight • Natural Monument

1.05 km

Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch)

Highlight • Natural Monument

Gatklettur ("Hellnar Arch") is a famous naturally formed stone arch found between the villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. You can even walk on the rock gate.

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1.37 km

Birds Market

Highlight • Viewpoint

Marked viewpoint and platform "Birds Market". The cliffs along the coast are occupied by numerous birds including guillemots, razorbills and seagulls.

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1.56 km

Bárður Snæfellsás Statue

Highlight • Monument

Near Arnarstapi is the statue of Bárður Snæfellsás. According to an Icelandic saga, this troll is said to live in the Snæfellsjökull glacier.
The saga in short:
Bárður emigrated to …

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2.69 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

1.90 km

693 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

1.74 km

637 m

164 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Sunday 11 October

7°C

2°C

55 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 26.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

March 3, 2025,Iceland: Arnarstapi Cliffs

Rough, untamed, brutal forces of nature. The sea has dug several rock gates into the basalt rock here. In some places you can walk over these bridge arches and the water shoots through underneath you and is channeled up the rock face and emerges as a 10m high spray of water. The black rock, the white spray and the white …

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