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Austurdalur Valley

Region: North Iceland
Coordinates: 65.3624553° N 19.0445438° W

Valley Austurdalur in the Skagafjordur District is almost 50 km long. Its northernmost boundaries are at the confluence of Rivers Eastern and Western Jokulsa, where River Heradsvotn takes over. The valley is narrow and steep, framed with precipitous, 1000 m high mountains. The slopes are relatively well vegetated and good sheep grazings, and in a few places some traces of woodlands remain. River Eastern-Jokulsa cascades through a deep and impassable canyon from its catchment area at the northern edge of Glacier Hofsjokull. The longest branch is called Jokulkvisl / Hnjukskvisl, which appears from underneath the glacier tongue Klakksjokull. The river is voluminous and difficult to ford. Usually rubust 4wd vehicles ford it just north of Mts Illvidrahnjukar.

Sagas of Iceland In 1970 a part of a bridge was moved from River Jokulsa a Solheimasandi in the south and placed across River Eastern Jokulsa and the second bridge connects the only remaining farms in the valley at farm Merkigil. In earlier times, the valley was densely populated (20-30 farms). Now only one remains.