Kirkjufell mountain stands 463 meters (1,519 feet) tall on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in west Iceland. The name translates as “Church Mountain” in English. It is one of the most photographed peaks in the country.
You may recognize Kirkjufell as the “arrowhead-shaped mountain” from Game of Thrones seasons 6 and 7. Photographers and travelers visit Kirkjufell year-round to capture its distinctive cone shape.
You can reach Kirkjufell mountain by driving about 180 kilometers (110 miles) northwest of Reykjavík along Route 54. The journey takes roughly two and a half hours by car.
The best time to photograph a Kirkjufell sunset is from late June through the end of August. During these months, the Midnight Sun in Iceland lingers just above the Atlantic Ocean. The sun hovers near the horizon for hours, creating an extended golden hour.
For the classic Kirkjufell shot, plan to be at the harbor in Grundarfjörður town between 11 PM and 1 AM. Walk a short distance to Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall and frame it in the foreground. Bring a sturdy tripod and a wide-angle lens for the best composition.
I took this photo from the harbor in Grundarfjörður town on 29 June 2013.
In Grundarfjörður town, the sun slips behind the surrounding mountains in November. We do not see it again until early February. This is the polar night season on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
When the sun finally returns, locals celebrate with a tradition called sólarpönnukökur, which translates as “sun pancakes”. We share them at the first glimpse of sunshine. It is one of the highlights of our winter calendar.
As one of the people living in Grundarfjörður, I can tell you the wait is worth it. The summer sunsets here rank among the most spectacular in Iceland.
Here I am embracing the Kirkjufell sunset on 2 August 2014.
Sólsetur við Kirkjufell from Tomas Kristjansson on Vimeo.
I shot this timelapse of the Kirkjufell sunset on 2 August 2014. It compresses a 30-minute sunset into 40 seconds.
For a different Kirkjufell experience, visit Grundarfjörður town in winter. The mountain is one of the best spots in Iceland to photograph the Northern Lights above its pointed summit.
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