Kirkjufell

Kirkjufell, the Church Mountain, is the most photographed peak in Iceland, a distinctive steep-sided cone rising beside the sea on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Framed by the small Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in the foreground, with the northern lights overhead in winter, it forms one of the classic images of the country.

What's there

• The pointed peak - the distinctive steep-sided mountain by the sea.
• Kirkjufellsfoss - the small waterfall that frames the classic photograph.
• Aurora over the mountain - the northern lights above it in winter.
• The Snaefellsnes peninsula - the wider dramatic coast around it.

When to go

Year-round; the classic photo works in any season, with winter adding snow and aurora and summer adding green and long light. Sunrise and sunset flatter it.

What to expect

The famous view is essentially one photograph from the waterfall, so it is a quick stop rather than a long visit. Climbing the mountain itself is steep and dangerous, and not advised without a guide. It is on the Snaefellsnes loop, a couple of hours from Reykjavik.

Nearby

The Snaefellsnes peninsula and its Snaefellsjokull glacier and coast spread around.

Key facts