For many centuries, and even up until the 1980s and 1990s, most places on the westernmost part of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland were relatively isolated. This was due to the fact that the road leading to these areas was a difficult gravel road, and was not maintained regularly. In particular, the part of the road that ran from Ólafsvík village to Rif/Hellissandur villages was often considered dangerous due to its location on a slope that was susceptible to landslides in summer and avalanches in winter. It wasn't until the 1980s, when the road was permanently changed and moved lower to the shore, that the westernmost part of the peninsula was finally connected to the rest of the country.
Malarrif is part of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula Road Trip, which you can read about in more detail in a separate article.
Malarrif
Although it may seem unusual now, Malarrif farm used to be a very isolated location. Nowadays, it is easily accessible by car via an asphalt road that connects it to Arnarstapi village and Hellnar hamlet and can be accessed in both summer and winter. However, as with most roads in Iceland, it is important to take precautions during the winter season, and it's advisable to check the weather forecast before embarking on this part of the road.
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Malarrif is an old farm and an old lighthouse with a new role
The shore by the farm is the interesting part here as most of the shoreline of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Today it is the main center for the Snæfellsnes National Park, and when traveling in Iceland and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, you should visit the center. The walk from the tourist center to Lóndrangar and the rocky pebble beaches are pretty spectacular. For decades, the old lighthouse had an essential role for Icelandic fishermen as they fished in the rich fishing grounds by the shore. Fishing grounds that Icelanders used for centuries. It was built in 1917 and rebuilt in 1947. The lighthouse's height is 20 meters (66 feet), and the light has a range of eighteen miles. At that time, the Malarrif farm was one of the most isolated farms in Iceland. It was also the westernmost farm on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
A center for all the beautiful places to visit at Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Malarrif Information Center is an essential stop when visiting the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. It is an information center for Dritvík, Djúpalónssandur, Vatnshellir cave, Hellnar, Snæfellsjökull glacier, and many other interesting places at Snæfellsnes Peninsula. When you are driving on the road nr. 574 at the end of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, you take a turn south on Road nr. 5737 to stop at Malarrif.
