Kolgrafarfjordur Viewpoint is an observation stop on Snæfellsnesvegur in West Iceland, near Grundarfjörður. It looks out over Kolgrafarfjordur, a shallow fjord almost closed off by the road that crosses it. A car park sits beside the viewpoint, and interpretive boards stand next to it, covering the area and its saga history. The stop takes ten to fifteen minutes and works as a break on the drive round the peninsula rather than as a destination in itself.
Kolgrafarfjordur Viewpoint
Local name: Kolgrafarfjörður
The interpretive board at the pull-off is named Eyrbyggja, after the medieval Icelandic saga of the same name.
- Entrance
- Free.
- Parking
- Car park at the viewpoint, roughly 20 metres away. A second, free car park lies about 4.4 km along the road.
- Transport
- No public transport: there is no bus stop within 5 km. Come by car.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Snæfellsnesvegur (Route 54), 351 Grundarfjörður
What makes it special
Most people stop here for the view down the fjord: shallow water, low shores, mountains on both sides. The second reason to stop is the interpretive boards beside the viewpoint. One of them carries the name Eyrbyggja, and they place the fjord in the world of the Icelandic sagas. Ten to fifteen minutes covers both the view and the reading.
The road crosses Kolgrafarfjordur on a causeway close by. After it was built, the fjord became known for large herring die-offs behind the narrowed opening. Expect wind: it comes straight off the water, and it decides how long most people stay.
Good to know
- No facilities — there are no toilets and no drinking water at the viewpoint or within 5 km of it.
- Wind — the site is open to the fjord and windy; hold on to car doors and keep a jacket to hand.
- Time — ten to fifteen minutes covers the view and the interpretive boards.
- A stop, not a destination — it works as a snack and leg-stretch break between bigger sights on the peninsula.
Getting there
The viewpoint sits directly on Snæfellsnesvegur, so it is reached by driving and pulling off the road. The car park is roughly 20 metres from the viewpoint, and there is nothing to walk: the view starts where you leave the car. The interpretive boards stand at about the same distance. No bus stop lies within 5 km, so this is a stop for people already driving the peninsula.
Best time to visit
Better: mornings in late autumn, and any daylight hour in summer.
Avoid: strong wind with rain.
In late November the sun comes up around 10am, so the low light arrives during ordinary driving hours rather than before dawn. In summer the stop works at any point in the day. When wind and rain arrive together, the visit shrinks to two photographs taken from beside the car.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
Is the viewpoint worth a stop in bad weather?
The view holds in poor weather, but the stop becomes short. Wind comes straight off the fjord, so it is usually photographs from beside the car and back on the road.Is there anything to do besides look at the fjord?
Interpretive boards stand next to the viewpoint, one of them named Eyrbyggja. They cover the area and its links to the Icelandic sagas, and reading them takes about as long as the view itself.Does it work with children?
Yes. The car park is beside the viewpoint, there is nothing to climb, and the stop is short enough to be a snack and leg-stretch break.How busy does it get?
Crowds are not the issue here. It is a roadside pull-off rather than a destination, and cars come and go through the day.