Rauðfeldsgjá Gorge: The Hidden Ravine Near Arnarstapi
A Crack in the Mountain
Rauðfeldsgjá is a narrow cleft cut into the side of Botnsfjall, on the south coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula near Arnarstapi. From the road it barely registers as a feature in the mountainside; up close it’s a slot just wide enough to walk into, with a small stream running out of it over mossy rock. It’s a short stop, not a hike, but it’s one of the more distinctive things to see on this side of the peninsula.
The Bárður Saga Connection
The gorge takes its name from the 13th-century Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss. In the story, Rauðfeldur and his brother push Bárður’s daughter Helga out onto drift ice as a prank; she survives, but Bárður — the half-troll guardian of the peninsula — retaliates by throwing Rauðfeldur into the ravine that now bears his name. It’s one of several places on Snæfellsnes tied directly to that saga, and a sign near the parking area gives the short version if you want the background before heading up.
What Getting In Actually Involves
From the small parking area off Route 574, it’s a short but noticeably steep climb up to the mouth of the gorge — a few minutes on foot, not a long approach. The catch is what comes next: the entrance is partly blocked by the stream itself, so going further in means wading through cold water and scrambling over wet, slippery rocks. There’s no dry route around it. Some visitors stop at the entrance and look in without ever getting their feet wet, and that’s a completely reasonable way to visit — the deeper interior is narrow, dim, and genuinely awkward underfoot, so don’t feel obligated to push in if the conditions look worse than you’d like.
- Getting there: Off Route 574, a few minutes’ drive from Arnarstapi; roughly 75–90 minutes’ drive from Stykkishólmur around the peninsula
- On foot: Short, steep climb from the parking area to the gorge entrance, a few minutes each way
- Inside: Wading a cold stream and scrambling over slick rocks; not accessible if you want to stay dry
- What to bring: Waterproof, grippy footwear — sneakers get soaked and offer little traction on the wet rock
- Cost: Free to visit
- Timing: A brief stop, easily combined with Arnarstapi’s coastal walk and Hellnar the same day
Where to Stay
The Stykkishólmur Inn puts you in the walkable old town on the north coast of Snæfellsnes, an easy base for a full loop of the peninsula that takes in Rauðfeldsgjá, Arnarstapi, and the harbour views back toward Breiðafjörður on the return drive. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.
Photo: diego_cue via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.