Lómagnúpur mountain

About Lómagnúpur

Lómagnúpur stands almost alone at the western edge of Skeiðarársandur, a huge outwash plain built up by glacial floods from Vatnajökull. The mountain was once a sea cliff before the sandur formed in front of it, and its sheer south face still has that look, a wall of rock rising straight out of flat black sand with almost nothing in front of it.

It is one of the most recognisable landmarks on the drive between Kirkjubæjarklaustur and Skaftafell, visible from a long way off in both directions. The turf farm of Núpsstaður sits at its base, one of the last traditional turf building groups in Iceland, with an old turf church among the buildings.

The mountain is so large that on a clear day you can pick it out from Skaftafell, more than 30 km to the east, and it stays in view for a long stretch of the Ring Road. Many travellers drive straight past on their way to Skaftafell or the glacier lagoons. It deserves a proper stop, because the light on the cliff changes with every shift in the weather.

Lómagnúpur is built mostly of palagonite, with layers of lava and sediment, laid down by eruptions under ice-age glaciers. The lowest layers are about 2.5 million years old, and the upper layers are 1–1.5 million years old.

Quick facts

The giant in the mountain

Icelandic folklore holds that the country is watched over by four landvættir, guardian spirits tied to its four quarters: a dragon over the east, a bull over the west, a giant eagle or griffin over the north, and a giant over the south. That giant is traditionally said to live inside Lómagnúpur. The four appear together on Iceland's coat of arms, and the story is usually traced back to the Norse sagas.

The giant has a name, Járngrímur, and a part in Njáls saga. After the burning of Njáll, the chieftain Flosi dreams that he is standing at Lómagnúpur. The mountain opens and a huge man walks out, dressed in goatskin and carrying an iron staff. He calls out the names of Flosi's men, one by one. A wise friend tells Flosi what the dream means: every man named is going to die.

Locals have long said that giants live in the mountain. Stand under the cliff on a grey day with cloud hanging on the top, and it is easy to see why.

How to get to Lómagnúpur

Never stop on the carriageway for a photo. The road is narrow, traffic is fast and crosswinds on the sandur are strong.

Photographing Lómagnúpur

Lómagnúpur is one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland. Sunrise and sunset give it two quite different faces, and it can be seen from so far away that you have a wide choice of foregrounds.

Northern Lights at Lómagnúpur

After dark the mountain becomes a huge black shape against the sky, and on a clear night between September and April the aurora can move above and behind it. There are almost no lights here, so the sky is properly dark.

Use a pull-off a few kilometres from the mountain so that you can fit both the cliff and the sky into the frame. A wide lens of around 14 mm, a tripod and a long exposure are what you need. Dress warmly, check the cloud forecast, and keep well off the road with your car lights off.

A word of caution: rockfalls and landslides

Lómagnúpur is best admired from a distance. The cliff is steep and loose, and large pieces of it have come down more than once. The biggest known rockslide fell from the west side in July 1789, during an earthquake, and its debris, known as Hlaupið, can still be seen from the road.

Do not walk in under the cliff or try to climb the face. View it from the road, the pull-offs and Núpsstaður.

Best time to visit Lómagnúpur

Safety and practical tips

• Pull off safely rather than stopping on the Ring Road itself; traffic moves fast on this stretch.
• Check umferdin.is for wind and road conditions, since Skeiðarársandur is known for strong crosswinds.
• Núpsstaður's old turf buildings are visible from the road but are private property, so view them from a respectful distance.
• Do not wait for blue sky. Cloud on the summit often makes the better photograph.
• For Northern Lights, bring a tripod and a wide lens, and park well off the road.
• Keep your distance from the foot of the cliff. Rockfall is a real risk here.

Facilities and accessibility

There are no facilities at Lómagnúpur itself. The nearest services are in Kirkjubæjarklaustur or, heading east, at Skaftafell.

On the map

Nearby places worth a stop

Núpsstaður turf churchOld turf farm and church at the foot of the mountainSkaftafellHiking area in Vatnajökull National ParkKirkjubæjarklausturVillage with services · about 35 kmFossálarLow waterfalls beside the Ring Road to the westFoss á SíðuThin waterfall dropping from a cliff above a farmDverghamrarBasalt column formations, the “dwarf cliffs”Eldhraun lava fieldMoss-covered lava further west

Where to stay near Lómagnúpur

Kirkjubæjarklaustur and the area around Skaftafell both have accommodation within a short drive, and either makes a good base for seeing Lómagnúpur along the way.

Lómagnúpur FAQ