Snæfellsbær
Snæfellsbær is at the end of the Snæfellsnes peninsula and stretches from Staðarsveit on the south side just west of Vegamót, all the way to Búlandshöfði on the north side. This covers an area of about 680 square kilometres and the population is about 1800, most of whom live in Ólafsvík, Rif and Hellissandur. Other smaller settlements include Hellna and Arnastapi. Most of the district, however, is uninhabited and unspoiled.
Most of the Snæfellsbær district is a declared protected site. There you can find many hiking trails, e.g. in the Búðahraun lava field with its diverse vegetation holding 130 different species of plant; the coastline from Arnastapi to Hellna with its amazing cliffs and birdlife, and the end of the peninsula from Dagverðará river to Gufuskálar which contains a number of historical sites and pristine nature spots. There are plans to declare this area a natural reserve soon.
The mystical powers of the Snæfellsjökull glacier have been known for thousands of years. The area was settled by the powerful Bárður Snæfellsás who felt the energy of the glacier and had a special relationship with it. It is believed by many to be an area where humans can communicate with the fairies and elves that live in the earth of this magical area. The main occupation of Snæfellsbær is fishing. Sheep farming and, to a lesser degree, dairy farming is practiced in the countryside.
Although the tourist industry is still in its infancy here, Snæfellsbær is becoming a popular place to visit. Activities in the area include horse-riding, angling, boat trips, trips by snowmobile and snow trucks up the glacier, skiing and two good 9-hole golf courses in Ólafsvík and Staðarsveit.