Raudfeldsgja Gorge

Imagine exploring a gorge that keeps getting narrower and with really high walls. Sounds interesting? What if I told you there is a small waterfall inside it? This is Raudfeldsgja Gorge, in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Only those who are not claustrophobic and don’t mind getting wet will be able to explore it.

Keep reading this blog if you want to know everything there is to know about it.

Raudfeldsgja Gorge is a beautiful gorge that is located inside Botnsfjall mountain in the southern part of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It is a narrow gorge (it keeps getting narrower the more inside you venture yourself) with walls that are so high tha you will feel like you are entering a mountain. Inside the gorge, there is a small creek and several small waterfalls.

Raudfeldsgja translates into English as Red Cloak Rift and it is named after the Icelandic Folklore stories of teh Bárdar Saga Snaefellsáss. The saga tells the story of Bárdur Snaefellsás, a half-human, half-troll that lived in Hellnar with his daughters. His brother Porkell lived in Arnastapi with his two sons Raudfeldur and Solvi. One day, the cousins were playing and Raudfeldur pushed one of Baldur’s daughters Helga onto an iceberg that drifted away to Greenland. Helga was unharmed and returned to Iceland and told her father about the incident. Bardur was so angry that he killed the two brothers. He pushed Raudfeldur into this canyon and pushed Solvi off the nearby Sölvahamar Cliff.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HIKE

GETTING TO RAUDFELDSGJA

Raudfeldsgjá Gorge is located in the southern part of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, not far from Budakirkja, the famous black church.

The best and probably the only way to reach it is by renting your own car and driving there yourself. I haven’t found any day tour to the Snaefellsnes peninsula that includes this stop, so if you want to visit it, you will need to have a car.

The parking is located right next to Utnesvegur road (exact location on the map to the right).

Driving times will depend on where you are driving from:

From Reykjavik, it will take you approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
From Grundafjordur, it takes approximately 40 minutes driving.

I always use RentalCars during my trips.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

If you’re planning on visiting Raudfeldsgja, you’ll need the following equipment.

Waterproof hiking boots. As you go deeper into the gorge, you will eventually have to walk into the creek that runs inside. Unless you don’t mind your feet getting wet, waterproof boots will be very handy.
Headlamp. The deeper you into the gorge, the less natural light you’ll get. A headlamp will allow you to have your hands free.

EXPLORING RAUDFELDSGJA GORGE

HIKE STATS

Trail Start/End – Raudfeldsgjá Gorge Parking

Distance – 1 km

Elevation Gain – 90 m

Level – Easy

Route Type – Out & Back

Estimated Time Needed – 30 minutes. This will depend on how deep into the gorge you venture. Remember to stay safe and don’t take unnecessary risks.

Best Time To Visit – June to September will grant you the best weather conditions to complete this hike.

HIKE MAP

I always use the AllTrails App during my hikes. The app has a GPX map that can help you stay on the right trail during your hikes. For this hike, we followed the Raudfeldsgja Gorge Trail.

MY EXPERIENCE EXPLORING RAUDFELDSGJA GORGE

Visiting this gorge was very easy. We parked our car in the parking lot next to the gorge, got our hiking boots on, and started walking towards it. The small hike is very easy, there is a small elevation gain but the view of the small canyon in front of you will make you not even notice it! I felt so small next to the huge mountain in front of me!

In no time, we were right next to the entry. There were a few people coming out of the gorge so we waited for them to get out. The entry to the gorge looks narrow in the photos but in reality, it does fit one or two people. The issue is that there is a small creek of water running out of it and everyone enters stepping on some rocks on one of the sides.

Once inside there is one small chamber with some dry parts where you can stand. From there, if you want to continue going further into the gorge, you will have to start walking in the water.

We went a bit further inside the gorge and it felt like we were exploring an empty cave. In front of us, the walls kept getting closer to each other and if we looked up, we could see the blue sky in between the rocks. After a few meters, we had to climb a small waterfall (there was a rope to help us up). It didn’t look very difficult but if we continued, we were going to get wet and we were not feeling like it.

The return to the car was also pretty impressive, with the views of the ocean in front of us.

ACCOMMODATION IN THE SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is not that big so no matter how many nights you’ve planned to stay, you can choose one location and make it your base. Here are some suggestions for different kinds of budgets.

Stod Guesthouse and Apartments

Simple but comfortable guesthouse in Grundafjordur which is the perfect option if you want to save some money in accommodation. The guesthouse has a shared kitchen available with everything you may need to prepare your meals. We stayed here for two nights during our visit to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and we were happy with it.

Photos from Booking.com

Fosshotel Hellnar

If you have some extra budget and want to stay in a more fancy place, then you should consider staying in Fosshotel Hellnar. You will be able to wake up with beautiful views over the Arnastapi Cliffs.

Photos from Booking.com

MAP WITH ALL LOCATIONS

HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Click the star next to the map title to add this map to your google maps account. To view it on your phone while traveling, open Google Maps, click on the menu button and go to “Your Places”, click on Maps and you’ll see this map in your list.

Hope you enjoyed this blog about Raudfeldsgjá Gorge! Let me know what you think in the comments and if you went further inside this canyon!

DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links. Clicking and buying from them will be at no additional cost to you but I will get a small commission.

RAUDFELDSGJA GORGE

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