Kirkjufell & Kirkjufellsfoss – Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall

Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall is a popular location on the Snæfellsnes peninsular about 40 minutes drive from Buðir black church. Kirjufellsfoss is a multi-level waterfall with each level having around 3 cascades.  Some views of the waterfall include Kirkjufell Mountain. 

Mount Kirkjufell has recently become the most photographed mountain in Iceland.  The angle of view from the waterfall gives the mountain the shape of a witch’s hat, or an almost symmetrical spire.

Grundarfjörður

Kirkjufellsfoss is close to Grundarfjörður on the Northern coastline of the Snæfellsnes Peninsular.  Grundarfjörður is a tidy, friendly town with a mixture of good & bad facilities in terms of accommodation and food.  The steeple shaped mountain (Kirkjufell) that sits just west of the town is the major draw for visitors. 

Orka Friendly

People are also drawn to the Killer Whales that frequent the bay during prime fishing season.  Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall is more accessible than the steep mountain and is a good way to connect with the landscape and nature.

Kirkjufell is a 463-meter-high mountain that has claimed the lives of a few mountaineers. From the right angle, the mountain resembles a church steeple or a witch’s hat. The best angle is from the small lake after the waterfall.  But close to Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, the angle is still good. This is why the combination has been so successful and popular with photographers and tourists.

Nature Photography at Kirkjufellsfoss

I like to capture the falls with the mountain in the background. A wide angle of at least 24 mm is required to capture the many angles offered by the falls.   A 50 mm lens will frame Kirkjufell Mountain quite tightly from the waterfall.  Having a wider lens will give you a lot more angles to play with at both levels of the waterfall.  Getting closer to the cascades of water will give your photos a more intimate feel, although this might not be possible if the location is busy.

The mountain/waterfall combination works really well with a colourful sky, which can happen at both sunset and sunrise.  The setting sun can only been seen in the mid summer when the sun sets in the North West.

After photographing Kirkjufell and the waterfall, I would recommend exploring the marshland and lake at the bottom of the falls.  There are sometimes little pools in the long grass which can give you some unique compositions. Then find the angles from the lake edge that shows the steeple shape of Kirkjufell and look for still water so you can find a reflection of the mountain.

It is also possible to hike up much higher than Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall which really opens up the landscape.   There are great views over the town, bay and mountain from up in the hills.  There are also some small streams which can work as a unique foreground.

Grundarfjorður Info

This is a small fishing village close to Kirkjufell. The closest cafe to Kirkjufell is the 59 Bistro Bar. I used this for many years and would normally recommend it. This is a sports bar so will catch any live game from the English premier league and this can give the place a lively atmosphere when Liverpool or Man United are playing. There is a nice pizza cafe in the centre of Grundarfjorður and a great restaurant near the harbour.

Find a Hotel Near Kirkjufell

Hotels are limited, we no longer use or recommend the Hotel Framnes or Hotel Kirkjufell (same hotel). We have 2 overnight photo tours booked into Hotel Framnes in April 2019. The first group ordered 5 rooms for 2 nights, but when we arrived, the hotel was dark and locked. We called the owner who blamed it on us and couldn’t be bothered to open the hotel for us. It happened again a week later when I booked a very expensive room for a private tour. Please avoid this place and use the Grundarfjorður Guest House instead.  For a Guesthouse outside the town with a great view of Kirkjufell Mountain, we recommend Suður-Bár Guesthouse

Winter Access

Kirkjufellsfoss looks great with winter snow, although access can be limited after heavy snow. Roads to Kirkjufellsfoss are well maintained due to the fishing towns along the northern side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Be aware that in mid-winter there are not enough daylight hours to explore the whole of the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

The kirkjufell mountain s a great subject for Northern lights on a clear Winter night.

Day Tours to Mount Kirkjufell

These tours of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula normally include Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall.