Djúpalónssandur, or Deep Lagoon sand beach, is a fascinating place for many reasons. The name can be traced back to some of the first settlers in Iceland around twelve hundred years ago. It was the landing place of Bárður Snæfellsás and his family and crew. As you might know, if you have read all my articles about Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Bárður Snæfellsás is a well-known personality around this part of Iceland. The beach was also used by farmers and people at Snæfellsnes Peninsula as a fishing station for centuries. Last but not least, it is a beautiful place with stunning landforms similar to Arnarstapi, where you can see the lava that floated out to the ocean.
Pebble beach, small lakes, and stunning lava formation
When you visit Djúpalónssandur, take care as the path to the beach is short, narrow, and rough. Once at the beach, you can see an interesting lava rock with a hole in the middle. You will also see many other interesting lava formations and rocks, some of which are connected to local stories and folklore.
On the shore, behind the lava, walking along the path, you can see a small pond on your right side. It is a beautiful sight, especially if you are at Djúpalónssandur on a clear, sunny day with the glacier in the background. It is a unique beach strewn with pebbles of various sizes. It is a great place for children; they can spend time playing with the small convex stones by the beach.
Take your time at Djúpalónssandur and Black Lagoon
This strange black sand cove on the south coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is curiously close to the Icelandic heart. It is covered with black pearly pebbles, constantly being brought in by the ocean waves. Still, picking them — or nicking them — is strictly forbidden. It's not that they keep a pebble police at Djúpalónssandur; the Icelanders just don't want their stones removed. Not even one of them. In the old days, like so many coves in this area, Djúpalónssandur also used to be a fishing station similar to the nearby Dritvík.
The four stones that defied manhood
On this beach called the Temple of Stones in Iceland, you will find four large rocks significant to the cove's history. These are the four lifting stones where workers at the fishing stations would test their strength. The smallest one is the Amlóði (Bungler) weighing 23 kilos, followed by the Hálfdrættingur (Weak) at 54 kilos; then there is the Hálfsterkur (Half-Strength) at 100 kilos, and finally, the Fullsterkur (Full-Strength) weighing a hefty 154 kilos. Half-Strength marked the frontier of the wimpy, and those who couldn't lift it were deemed unsuitable for life at sea. You will also see rusted metal from the English trawler Eding, which was wrecked at the Djúpalón beach in 1948. At that time, it was not uncommon to find ships stranded on the shoreline due to bad weather.
Access to Djúpalónssandur Cove
To reach Djúpalónssandur, you need to drive across the Útnesvegur road on Snæfellsnes Peninsula nr. 574. Take a turn to the south when you reach the intersection nr. 572 onto the Dritvíkkurvegur road. There is a parking lot by Djúpalónssandur cove. There, you will find the hiking trails to the beach as well as to Dritvík Cove.