Driving from Grindavík to Hópsnes: Volcanic Landscape, Lighthouse & Ship-wrecks | Reykjanes, Iceland

In November 2023, in the midst of escalating and severe seismic activity, a state of emergency was declared and the Grindavík town evacuated. Volcanic eruptions could occur in this area at any time. This video was filmed earlier.
The Hópsnes peninsula is situated near the Grindavík town, on the far south-western part of the Reykjanes peninsula (”steam peninsula”), close to Keflavik airport in Iceland.
Hópsnes is an amazing place to visit. It has a unique and out-of-this-world volcanic lava landscape with an orange lighthouse on top and rusty shipwrecks lying on the ground.
Hópsnes has a rough dirt road that winds its way out to the bright orange Hópsnesviti lighthouse. Along the way, you’ll pass the rusting skeletons of several ships. The iconic lighthouse stands mightily in the middle of the trail like a beacon. The Hópsnes lighthouse’s main color is orange, while the tower is bright red.
You can reach the lighthouse by foot when coming from Grindavík. It is easy to drive right to the lighthouse even without the 4X4.
The Hópsnesviti lighthouse was built in 1928 on the southern tip of Hópsnes. Engineer Benedikt Jónasson designed the lighthouse. The total height of the lighthouse is 16 meters (53 feet) above sea level. Hópsnesviti was electrified in 1961.
The Grindavík town stands on a lava field that erupted up to about 2,350 years ago from the Sundhnúkur crater chain just north of Grindavík, as well as from the Svartsengisfell volcanoes and fissures on Stora Skogsfell, both nearby. The town is one of six communities on the peninsula that is situated on or near an eruptive fissure.
Grindavík's harbour, called Hópið, was created by an eruption from Sundhnúkur approximately 2,800 years ago that created a peninsula south-east of where the town stands, when lava flowed into the sea. Port conditions in Grindavík are excellent due to this lava flow and the Hópið lagoon.
The created lava spit is 2 kilometer (1.2 mile) long and 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) wide. It is known as Hópsnes on the west side and Þórkötlustaðanes on the east side. The terrain is made of rugged volcanic stones.
The Grindavík town's fishing industry originally operated from huts on Þórkötlustaðanes before moving to Grindavík harbor in 1939 after local residents dug a channel through a reef to connect Hópið to the sea.
You’ll see several shipwrecks lying on the ground as you go around the spit. These abandoned shipwrecks happened during the 20th century.
We had a stop by the rusty remains of the fishing boat Hrafn Sveinbjarnarson III. It was ship-wrecked here just of the cape early in the morning on February 12, 1988. Fortunately all eleven sailors were rescued by the Icelandic coast guard helicopter. Hrafn Sveinbjarnarson III GK 11 (IMO: 5427485) was built in 1963. Her overall length overall is 34.78 meters (114.8 feet) and her width is 6.81 meters (22.3 feet)
During the early 20th century, Hópsnes was a flourishing fishing village. Exploring the peninsula, you’ll find different remains from the old fishing village and interesting details of the history of the area.
Hópsnes is great for strolling, hiking, and biking. The trails let you enjoy fresh Icelandic air while marveling at the majestic landscapes.
Grindavík is deeply rooted in fishing and remains a bustling fishing town. Moreover, it is home to the Icelandic Saltfish Museum. Saltfish played a crucial role in Icelandic history, as it served as one of the country’s main sources of nourishment during challenging times.
The Blue Lagoon, Grindavík's premiere attraction, is located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the town center. The lagoon is a man-made geothermal spa using hot and mineralized waters from the nearby Svartsengi power station.