Skjaldarbjarnarvik

Region: Strandir
Coordinates: 66.21° N 21.932° W
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Elevation: m
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Skjaldbjarnarvik

The northernmost farm of the Strandir District was situated on this cove. Its northern boundaries co-inside with the district boundaries of Strandir and The Northern Isafiord District. The southern boundaries of the property follow River North Bjarnarfjardara. The abandoned farm (1947) stood at the foot of Mt Geirolfsgnupur on the shallow Skjoldur Cove and its houses have collapsed. Valley Sunnudalur lies to the south of the Skjaldarbjarnarvik cove and Mt Rond separates it from the Bjarnarfiord Bay. The group of mounds called Thufur is situated on a headland, which actually belongs to the mountain’s foothills. The legend tells us, that the first settler, Skjaldar-Bjorn, lies buried in one of the mounds, his dog in another one, and his ship decorated with its shields, in the third one.

The Skaufasel summer pastures and its ruins are situated opposite to the Meyjarsel summer pastures on the Drangar farm property. At Skaufasel a long abandoned farm probably stood before the farmer started using the area for grazings.

Two magic stones from this area have been preserved, a sea-navel and a wishing stone. Such stones were believed to contain divine powers. The cove is rather wide and its lowland area is well vegetated. A ruin of a stone hut was found on one of the ledges of Mt Geirolfsgnupur. It lends the story of Mountain Eyvind credibility. He was an 18th century outlaw, who stayed there for a while with the consent of the farmer (probably Hallvardur Hallsson; 1723-1799).