Hiking around the Western Snæfellsness, Part 1

We set out early from Hellissandur for a big day of hiking around the western end of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. This was our first extended hike in Iceland, and we had planned a promising route through lava fields, to the rims of craters, past waterfalls and across glacial rivers. Well, "crossing glacial rivers" wasn't actually on the itinerary; it was more like a last-minute surprise at the day's end.

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Puffin Spotting

With their bright orange beaks and white-feathered faces, puffins are far and away Iceland's favorite bird. Ten million of the little guys make their home here, and though they generally colonize cliffs or off-shore islands, there are opportunities to spot them even in Reykjavík. It was to this end that we hopped on a boat departing the city harbor.

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