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HÓPSNES

A small peninsula, created 2350 years ago when lava flowed into the sea from Sandahnjúkar that are located just north of the village Grindavík. As a result of the flowing lava along with the formation of the Hópið lagoon that formed beside the peninsula when the sea started to erode the lava and move loose materials, the port conditions in Grindavík are excellent. If the spit wasn’t there, the village of Grindavik would most likely not have formed. Grindavík is only one of six communities in Reykjanes peninsula that owes its existence to an eruptive fissure in an active volcanic system.

Travelling around Hópsnes, you will be able to see a number of shipwrecks that stranded during the 20^th century. You will also find the remains of fish processing operations that were once part of the village, such as entrance cairns, fish-storage huts, ice storages, fish-processing houses, live-processing and salt huts. All fishing operations moved to Grindavík in 1939 when a group of intuitive residents took it upon themselves to dig a channel through the reed that had until then prevented boats from entering the Hópið lagoon. Today this area is popular for recreational activities with an excellent hiking and biking trails.