Travel Guide Húsafell

Húsafell is located north of Runway 550 which passes through Kaldidalur, the «cold valley». It is a desert depression that extends between the glaciers Okjökull and Þórisjökull, southwest of the Langjökull ice cap. The Kaldidalur was one of the main mountain tracks borrowed from the times of the sagas, and that the settlers used to go to the parliament of Þingvellir. Húsafell was once the diocese of Reverend Snorri Björnsson (1710-1803), which appears in many tales and legends because of his great physical strength and exorcist gifts. Legend says he helped 81 ghosts to find eternal peace. He is also supposed to have raised a big stone of 180 kg, called «Kvíahella», which can always be seen on the spot. The contemporary artist Páll Guðmundsson, who works on the local natural stone, makes outdoor exhibitions like the Memorial to Ghosts. From Húsafell there are many hiking possibilities. Glacial mountaineering is also very practiced in the region.