Stykkisholmur district

Sagas, trolls, shark curing, wild berries and much more!

Thingvellir

Plains on the peninsula south of the Nesvogur inlet. The ,,Thing” (official meeting place) was moved there from Hofsstadir and some ruins can be seen, as well as a sacrificial stone, the altar of Thor.

Helgafell

The farm, famous in the Sagas, and a church was in its time the residence of Snorri godi and later of Gudrun Osvifursdottir of Laxdaela saga. Her grave can be seen there. From 1184 until the Reformation, 1550, there was a wealthy monastery nearby. The small mountain Helgafell, is not high but conspicuous in the plain. It was sacred to people of the Saga age, and they hoped to die on it. The story goes that if you walk the path from the grave of Gudrun Osvifursdottir up to the remains of the chapel on top (face east), without speaking a single word or looking back on the way, you can have three wishes. However, the wishes must be pure-hearted and told to no one.

Hofsstadir

The farm of Thorolfur Mostraskeggur who originally settled the Thorsnes peninsula. There was the first known "Thing", or official meeting place, in Iceland. Sauraskogur is a lovely area with widespread birch bushes by the lake Sauravatn. There are several summerhouses and it is a popular place for walking. Drapuhlidafjall. An unusual and colourful mountain containing basalt and rhyolite, with lignite between layers and fossilized tree-trunks. There was believed to be gold in the mountain, only very small quantities were found but some fool’s gold can be found there. At the eastern foot of the mountain, you will find Vatnsdalur, a valley with a woody area and a lake, a peaceful place.

Kerlingarskard ("Troll´s pass")

A pass (311m) over the Snaefellsnes mountain range. A folktale tells of a giantess of the troll type who was on her way home with her catch after good nights fishing in a lake nearby when she was caught by the sun and turned to stone. She can still be seen with her line of trout over her shoulder, on a ridge of the mountain Kerlingarfjall, opposite the mountain Hafrafell, at the north end of the pass. It is possible to walk up there but it is not easy.

Berserkjahraun ("Berserks- lava field")

4000 years old lava from a small row of craters below Kerlingarskard passes, the largest crater being Raudakula. The others are Graakula, Smahraunakula and Kothraunskula. They are easy to walk on. The name of the lava field is derived from Viga-Styr´s berserks. In the year of 982 the berserks were forced by their leader to cut a path through the lava, Berserkjagata, but then he betrayed and killed them. The path is still visible, and also the burial mound of the berserks which is beside it.

Hraunflot

Near Berserkjahraun is a peaceful and beautiful area called Hraunflot by the lake Selvallavatn which is surrounded by lava from three directions. In the northern outskirts of the lava are nice grass-grown cups called Natthagar. It is a popular place for camping. To get there you have to take the old road through the lava Berserkjahraun.

Bjarnarhofn ("Bjorn´s harbour")

The farm of the settler Bjorn austraeni, now a substantial farm with an old church. The homeopath Thorleifur Thorleifsson lived there for many years. It is possible to walk around and up the mountain Bjarnarhafnarfjall (575m), under the guidance of the farmer. In Bjarnarhofn you can taste shark and dried fish, have a guided tour to the old church and the picturesque vicinity for 500 ISK per person.

Wild berries

In Stykkisholmur and surroundings you can find wild blueberries and northern crowberries. The season for berries is late August and September and you can find them on the hills in and around the town. There is also good berry-land at the eastern foot of Drapuhlidarfjall in Vatnsdalur and Seljabrekkur, also in Natthagar, the northern outskirts of Berserkjahraun.