Súgandisey Island Light Beacon is a small lighthouse on the crest of Súgandisey, the island that shelters the harbour of Stykkishólmur in West Iceland. A staircase from the harbour reaches the top in five to ten minutes. The harbour lies below, with the berth of the Baldur ferry, and Breiðafjörður opens to the north, shallow and full of low islands. A path runs around the hilltop, so the view changes as it goes. People come for the view rather than for the tower.
Sugandisey Island Light Beacon
Local name: Súgandiseyjarviti
The harbour under the lighthouse is where the Baldur ferry ties up, the sea link between the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the Westfjords.
- Accessibility
- Not step-free: the entrance is not wheelchair accessible, the way up is a staircase and the hilltop path runs over loose stone.
- Parking
- Free car park and free street parking at the harbour; the spaces at the foot of the stairs are reserved for ferry staff.
- Difficulty
- Staircase from the harbour, five to ten minutes to the top; loose stone underfoot on the crest.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Súgandisey, 340 Stykkishólmur
What makes it special
From the top of Súgandisey the harbour lies directly below, with the berth of the Baldur ferry, the boat that links the Snæfellsnes peninsula with the Westfjords. To the north is Breiðafjörður: wide, shallow and scattered with low islands. A path runs around the top of the hill, so the view changes along the way. Town and harbour on one side, open water on the other. The lighthouse itself is a small squat tower on the bluff, and the ground around it is loose stone that crunches underfoot. The crest is open to the wind on every side.
Good to know
- Wind: The hilltop is exposed and the wind there is strong. Bring a coat, and keep back from the edges when it blows hard.
- Parking: The spaces at the foot of the stairs are reserved for ferry staff. Use the free parking a few minutes' walk along the harbour instead.
- Time needed: Twenty minutes covers the climb, a loop of the hilltop and the photographs.
- Do the full circuit: The path carries on around the top past the lighthouse, and the views over Breiðafjörður open from the far side.
Getting there
Cars come right up to the foot of the hill at the harbour end of the island, where a staircase leads to the lighthouse. The climb takes five to ten minutes. The spaces immediately by the stairs belong to the ferry staff, so the usual approach is to leave the car in the free parking a few minutes back along the harbour and walk in past the boats and the harbour houses. There is no way up other than the stairs.
Best time to visit
Better: a clear, calm day. The point of the climb is the view, and on a clear day it reaches out across Breiðafjörður to the islands.
Avoid: strong wind. The crest is open on every side and there is nothing to break it.
Rain does not rule the place out. The climb is quick, and the harbour still reads well from above.
Sun & daylight
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Sugandisey Island Light Beacon on the map
The hilltop is fully exposed and the wind can be violent. In strong wind keep well back from the edges of the bluff and hold on to children.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get to the lighthouse?
Five to ten minutes up the stairs from the parking by the harbour. Twenty minutes is enough for the climb, a loop of the hilltop and the photographs.Where do you park?
Parking at the harbour is free, both the car park and the street. Do not use the spaces at the foot of the stairs: they are for the ferry staff.When is it open?
The site is open around the clock, every day of the week.Can you get up with a wheelchair or a pushchair?
No. The only way up is the staircase, and the path on the crest runs over loose stone.What can you see from the top?
Stykkishólmur harbour and the Baldur ferry berth on one side, and Breiðafjörður with its low islands to the north.