Húsafell () is a sprawling farm and church estate and the former site of a
rectory
A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of a given religion, serving as both a home and a base for the occupant's ministry. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, p ...
. It is the innermost farm in
Borgarfjörður in the west county of
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
, not far from
Reykholt and
Reykholtsdalur. Húsafell farm now serves as a hub of service for various types of tourists visiting and residing in its surrounding area. The Húsafell surrounding area thus includes a wide array of
second homes, tent sites, holiday housing and short term lodgings. Among its amenities are a swimming pool and a
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, tee box, a #Fairway and rough, fairway, the #Fairway and rough, rough and other hazard (golf), hazards, and ...
. The wider Borgarfjörður region is also renowned for its multitude of lakes where there is trout to be had and salmon to be lured in the many rivers where it is possible to go fishing.
The actual estate of Húsafell farm stretches all the way to the roots of
Eiríksjökull and
Langjökull, covering all in all an area of appr. 100 square kilometers. The farm itself is situated in the midst of
Hallmundarhraun, and the Húsafell
birch
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 3 ...
wood of
Húsafellsskógur. Due to its sunny and warm summer climate and natural calmness of its surrounding stretch of
lava
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...
, Húsafell and its surrounding area played host to Iceland's most popular outdoor music festivals during the 1960s and the 1970s.
In the near vicinity of Húsafell are the natural attractions of
Barnafoss and
Hraunfossar waterfalls as well as the caves of
Víðgelmir and
Surtshellir.
There are also many exciting hiking trails to be experienced in the area, as well as the more organized tours on offer to see the glaciers Eiríksjökull or Langjökull, and excursions across the
Arnarvatnsheiði highland or all the south across the
Kaldidalur highland.
In the olden days, back when the main route from the northern part of Iceland to the south lay across
Arnarvatnsheiði, Húsafell would find itself to be an oasis of food and lodgings for weary travellers making their way across this country highway. Húsafell was indeed a popular stopover for many overnight visitors in the not so distant past, and lately, the idea of laying a country highway from Húsafell and across
Stórisandur up to the North Country has resurfaced, albeit with today's motorized vehicles in mind.
Natural features in the area include the
Hraunfossar, where water comes out from a
lava
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...
field over a length of about 1 km. They are placed in a setting of birch wood. The trees here grow up to 4 m. The caves of another lava field,
Hallmundarhraun are also not too far away (e.g. the Surtshellir cave).
In the 19th century, there was a colony of artists living at Húsafell. One of these was the Icelandic painter
Jóhannes S. Kjarval.
Today, the sculptor
Páll Guðmundsson, a descendant of the Húsafell, lives and works at creating interesting faces which he cuts out of local stone. The
Húsafell Stone
The Húsafell Stone is a legendary lifting stone weighing 186 kg (410 lb) located in a west country farming estate in Húsafell, Iceland about northeast of Reykjavík. The slightly triangular, slab shaped stone is kept at a Pen (enclos ...
, a rock stored in a sheep pen built by pastor Snorri Björnsson, is a legendary
lifting stone
Lifting stones are heavy natural stones which people are challenged to lift, proving their strength. They are common throughout Northern Europe, particularly Iceland (where they are referred to as ''steintökin''), Scotland, Ireland, Basque Countr ...
which has been used in international competitions.
See also
*
Waterfalls of Iceland
References
External links
Official Homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Husafell
Populated places in Iceland
Borgarbyggð
Farms in Iceland