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Iceland

Snæfellsbær

Arnarstapi Harbor – Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) loop from Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

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Hiking trails & Routes

Iceland

Snæfellsbær

Arnarstapi Harbor – Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) loop from Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

Easy

4.8

(16)

213

hikers

Arnarstapi Harbor – Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) loop from Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

00:41

2.60km

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: May 6, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

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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 lively fishing village, as the harbor in the rocky bay still bears witness to. From the 1930s to the 1960s, people here mainly lived from the exploitation of pumice stone. The few houses are now only inhabited for part of the year, but the tourist future seems assured, because the hamlet, like Hellnar, is an excellent starting point for exploring the national park on foot.

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240 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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570 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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971 m

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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1.29 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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1.48 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 Iceland with his wife and daughters and arrived on the beach of Djupalon. He built his farm near here.
Þorkell, brother of Bárður, lived with his two sons (Rauðfeldr and Sölvi) in Arnarstapi.
The sons of Þorkell and the daughters of Bárður often played together.
One day, when there was pack ice along the coast, Rauðfeldr pushed Helga (the eldest daughter) out to sea on an iceberg.
Helga floated all the way to Greenland unharmed. When Bárður found out about this he became furious.
He pushed Rauðfeldr into the Rauðfeldsgjá ravine and threw Sölvi off the Sölvahamar, a high coastal cliff east of Arnarstapi.
Then Bárður and Þorkell got into a fight and Þorkell broke his leg. At this Thorkell left Arnarstapi.
After this event, Bárður gave away his land and disappeared into the Snæfellsjökull glacier. To this day he is said to live in and protect the glacier.

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2.56 km

Arnarstapi Cliffs and Basalt Formations

Highlight • Natural Monument

A fantastic cliff coast in Arnarstapi. At the foot of Snaefellsjökull, the surf has carved volcanic pipes, whose lava has solidified into hexagonal shapes, in the form of pillars, caves and arches, which provide ideal breeding grounds for various bird colonies.

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2.60 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

2.02 km

493 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

1.84 km

437 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 10 May

7°C

2°C

98 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

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Arnarstapi Harbor – Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) loop from Ströndin við Stapa og Hellna

Arnarstapi Harbor

View of Lóndrangar (Lion Head Rock)

Pumpa, beach with lighthouse

Midgja Sea Cliffs and Seabird Colony

Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch)

Birds Market

Bárður Snæfellsás Statue

Arnarstapi Cliffs and Basalt Formations

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