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Veidileysufjordur

Region: Westfjords
Coordinates: 66.2558 ° N 22.5148° W

About Veidileysufjordur

This bay is about 8 km long towards north and 2 km wide, the longest of the Jokulfiords. It is framed with steep and precipitous mountains and lowland areas are very limited. Mt Kvianupur and Kviarfjall are further south on the eastern side and Mt Lasafjall to the west. Valley Gjalpardalur cuts into the landscape at the utmost southwestern point and offers a relatively easy way up the mountain. Mt Mardareyrarfjall is next to the north and at its foot is the spit of land called Mardareyri. In the slopes above is the best berry picking area of the country according to the people of the Westfiords. At the end of the bay it swerves to the east. The spit Meleyri is at the foot of Mt Lonahorn. Whaling stations were operated there for a few years, but there are no traces of those activities left to see. Mt Tafla closes the end of the bay and to its south is Valley Karlsstadadalur, which name suggests the existence of a farm there in the past, even though it seems very unlikely nowadays. Mt Djupuhlidarfjall is above and to the west of the abandoned farm, if there ever was any. At the foot of the mountain are the spit Langeyri and a sand reef into the bay. Wherever people could find sufficiently large lowland areas they built farms, some of which are still traceable, such as Hladseyri, Steig, Mardareyri and Steinolfsstadir.

Mardareyri was named after the farmer Mordur, a legendary person of the tale of the Bolti the ogre, who kidnapped a young man for his daughter. She, however, was more inclined to marry the ogre of Mt Kalfatindar and did not quite appreciate her father’s efforts. Mordur used his magic with the aid of farmer Steinolfur to bring the young man back to the human society. After Mordur died he was buried in the mound Mardarholl near the ruins of the farm at Mardareyri. This mound was, and probably still is, bewitched. The spell calls for no exploitation. Once a traveller spending his holidays in the area, and had no idea about the spell, picked berries off the mound. His wife knew about the spell and reprimanded him for doing so. A few days after he returned to work he had an accident involving his right hand, which he used to pick the berries with.

Vedileysufjordur is on nat.is Saga Trail Jokulfirdir

Veidileysufjordur in Icelandic

Hiking routes in Veidileysufjordur

From the abandoned farm Steig up Mt Kviarfjall, down Valley Kviardalur to the abandoned farm Kviar. It is also possible to cross over Pass Hafnarskard.

Up the mountains at the end of the bay through Pass Hafnarskard to Cove Hornvik. This is a much frequented and an easy route (519 m).

Another easy route starts at the abandoned farm Steinolfsstadir and ends on the Hesteyrarfiord Bay. A second possibility is to hike through Pass Hloduvikurskard to Cove Hloduvik.