A fine day tour with a nice balance of cultural and natural site seeing.
The Saga of Egill Skallagrímsson is one of adventure and intrigue that spans several generations and takes place throughout Scandinavia and even England. It recounts how Egill's grandfather, mortally wounded, fled Norway. As he was dying, he instructed that he be buried at sea and the rest of the family should settle wherever his remains washed ashore. This was at a place now known as Borgarnes. From here the saga unfolds and spans about 100 yrs, including much of the lifespan of Egill's father and all of Egill's long life. As an adult Egill, had influence throughout much of West Iceland, either directly or through ties made with marriages of his children. Besides being an invinceable warrior, he was a poet of profound skill. On this tour, we visit Egill's home of Borg, the Settlement Centre and the burial mound of his father, Skallagrímur.
Another influential character of West Iceland was a descendent of Egill's, Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241). He, too, was a force to be reckoned with and fell into disfavour with the Norwegian king. Like Egill, he had imense power and was also a very gifted writer, who wrote, among other things, the History of the Norwegian Kings and the Edda poems. Many consider him the likely author of Egill's Saga, though this is unproven. After the clan feuds of the 1200's, in whch Snorri was a major figure, the Norwegian king put a warrant out for Snorri and loyalists to the King executed him in 1241 at his estate at Reykholt. Today, Reykholt has a cultural centre dedicated Snorri and his works. We visit this and see his hot pool and tunnel, where he was likely captured. It is ironic that Norwegians often mistakenly consider Snorri a Norwegian citizen because of his work on the history of their monarchy.
Much of the eventful lives of these giants of Icelandic heritage was spent in beautiful West Iceland, which has the mysterious Hraunfossar waterfalls, with nearby Barnafoss, as well as Europe's largest-volume hot spring, Deildatunguhver. Bountiful salmon rivers, fertile farmlands and glacier-topped mountains all add to the natural beauty of the area and round out this remarkable tour.
Skallagrímur's burial mound
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Deildatunguhver, Europe's highest-volume hot spring
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Price: €147, minimum of 2.
Included: Certified English-speaking driver-guide, visit to Reykholt Centre, Setllement Centre and Borg, return to hotel(s).
Not included: food or refreshments - lunch eg. at Settlement Centre, or elsewhere in Borgarnes
Duration: 7-8 hrs depending on museum visits, roads, weather, etc.
Price subject to change due to currency fluctuation and rising fuel costs.
