Djupalonssandur Beach to Dritvik Cove Hike

Djupalonssandur beach to Dritvik cove Hike

The Djupalonssandur Beach to Dritvik Cove Hike is a must-do hike within the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Along this hike, you will be able to enjoy beautiful small lagoons, black lava pebbled beaches, and even the remains of a shipwreck! If any of this sounds interesting, keep reading to find out everything about Djupalonssandur and Dritvik.

Djupalonssandur & Dritvik

Djupalonssandur, The Black Lava Pearl Beach

Here are some interesting facts about this beach:

  • The name Djupalonssandur comes from two small lagoons called Djúpulón that translate into English as The Deep Lagoons. Folklore believed that these lagoons were abysmal. However, despite their name, the lagoons have been measured and they are about 5 meters deep.
  • The path that leads to Djupalonssandur is called Nautastígur (the path of the bull). 
  • In Djupalonssandur you will be able to see the remains of the shipwreck of a British trawler, the Epine GY7. This ship wrecked near Dritvik cove on 13th March 1948. Only 5 men survived and fourteen men lost their lives. The remaining parts of the ship are left on the beach as a tribute to these men.
  • On the beach of Djupalonssandur, you will also find 4 big stones of different sizes and weights. From bigger to smaller you have Fullsterkur or strong (154kg), Halfsterkur or half-strong (100kg), Halfdraettingur or half as good (54kg) and Amlòdi or lightweight (23kg). It is said that these stones were used to test whether fishermen were strong enough to go on rowing boats that departed from Dritvik. If the fisherman was not able to lift at least the Halfdraettingur stone until its waist it was not allowed on the boats.

Dritvik Cove

From Djupalonssandur you can hike to Dritvik Cove, which was a big seasonal fishing station in Iceland in the 16th century. Between 40 to 60 fishing boats would sail off from this beach with around 200 to 600 fishermen. The fishing season was between April to mid May.

Getting to Djupalonssandur

Djupalonssandur is located at the western end of the Snaefellsnes peninsula.

The best way to reach it is by renting a car and driving there yourself, especially if you want to hike in the area. You just have to drive along Utnesvegur until you reach a deviation towards 572 Dritvikurvegur. At the end of this road, you will find the Djupalonssandur Parking Lot (exact location on the map below).

Driving times to reach Djupalonssandur will depend on where you are driving from:

  • From Reykjavik, it will take you approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes.
  • From Grundafjordur, it takes approximately 40 minutes to drive.

However, if driving is not your thing, many day tours to the Snaefellsnes peninsula include Djupalonssandur in their itinerary. 

 

Accommodation in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

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

  • Hellisandur Camping. If you are driving a camper van, this camping might be a good suggestion with beautiful views of the ocean.
  • Stod Guesthouse and Apartments. We stayed in this guesthouse in Grundafjordur and it was a good option. There was a shared kitchen available with everything necessary to save some money on meals.
  • Fosshotel Hellnar. If your budget is a bit higher, you can consider staying in this hotel with beautiful views over the Arnastapi cliffs.

Hiking From Djupalonssandur Beach to Dritvik Cove

Hike Summary

  • Trail Start/End: Djupalonssandur Parking Lot
  • Distance: 3,4 km
  • Elevation Gain: 64 m
  • Route Type: Linear Route
  • Estimated Time Needed: 1h 30 minutes (This includes plenty of time to enjoy the views at both beaches)

Djupalonssandur Beach and the lagoons

We parked our car at the Djupalonssandur parking lot and started following the Nautastígur path that led towards the beach. The trail soon split into two and we followed the left trail knowing that we would return through the other one. 

After a few hundred meters we arrived at the beautiful Djupalonssandur beach. As we approached it, we could see it appear behind the lava rock formations and were amazed by its beauty. It is a half-moon-shaped beach and the contrast of the black lava pebbles with the blue of the sea was something else. There were a few people on the beach but you could barely see them. 

We spent some time admiring the beach, the lagoons and taking some pictures of it. 

Hiking to Dritvik Cove

Once we had enjoyed some time at the beach, we began our hike towards to Dritvik Cove. The trail to Dritvik cove begins on the left-hand side of the beach (exact location on the map above). The trail is very easy and it took us approximately 20 minutes to reach Dritvik Cove. The views are also fantastic with the sea on your left and the Snaefellsjökull glacier on your right. 

When we were arriving at Dritvik Cove, we saw that next to the red hut there were three sheep eating peacefully (a mom and its two little lambs). We approached them slowly in order not to scare them away. In the beginning, the mother was really aware of us getting close but soon she realized we were not harmful. 

Dritvik Cove

At Dritvik Cove, we spent some time getting photos and videos of the sheep up close. It was the first time during our two weeks in the country that we had been able to get this close to them. We had of course seen plenty of them from the car but whenever we tried to get closer to them, they usually ran away.

We also enjoyed the beach as well. Dritvik Cove was smaller than Djupalonssandur but had nothing to envy in beauty. We were there completely alone which made it very peaceful and special.

Return to Djupalonssandur, the shipwreck and lifting stones

When we returned to Djupalonssandur beach, we took some time to see a few things we had skipped before. We saw the remainings of the Epine GY7 shipwreck spread around the beach. Important: These pieces are there as a tribute to the British men that died in that shipwreck, so please do not touch them or take them with you.

We also checked the lifting stones that fishermen needed to lift to prove they were capable of being oarsmen on the rowing fishing boats departing from Dritvik. David tested to pick up the stones and managed to lift the Halfdraettingur. 

We completed our hike with Gatklettur, a rock formation with a hole in it from which you can observe the Snaefellsjokull Glacier.

Djupalonssandur Beach to Dritvik Cove Hike

I hope you liked my blog about Djupalonssandur Beach. Let me know what you thought in the comments.

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