Norðurárdalur (North River Valley) is a valley in eastern
Skagafjörður
Skagafjörður () is a deep fjord and its valley in northern Iceland.
Location
Skagafjörður, the fjord, is about 40 km long and 15 km wide, situated between Tröllaskagi to the east and the Skagi, Skagi Peninsula to the west. Ther ...
,
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 ...
bordered by the Bóluá river, which forms the boundary between
BlönduhlÃð
BlönduhlÃð is a district in Iceland in eastern Skagafjörður that lies along the Héraðsvötn river. It spans the area from the Bóluá river in the south of and the Kyrfisá river to the north.
Brekknapláss is the outermost part of in , ...
and Norðurárdalur.
Route 1
The following highways are numbered 1.
For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads.
For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads.
For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads.
For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads.
For roads numbered S ...
runs through the valley up to the
Öxnadalsheiði
Öxnadalsheiði is a plateau (which includes a valley of the same name) in between Norðurárdalur in Skagafjörður and Öxnadalur in Eyjafjörður, Iceland. Route 1 between Skagafjörður and Akureyri
Akureyri (, ) is a town in northern I ...
plateau.
The valley runs east-southeast and shortly after curves to the northeast. Its northern side, at the start of the valley near Bólugil ravine, is called Silfrastaðafjall mountain and, further on, takes the name Kotaheiði as it approaches the Valgagilsá river. From that point on, it is known as Silfrastaðaafréttur highland pasture. The valley previously belonged to
Silfrastaðir, but it is now the property of
Akrahreppur.
Moving south into the valley features the Krókárgerðisfjall mountain, then the Borgargerðisfjall mountain, and finally Virkishnjúkur peak at the mouth of the valley, which is the furthest from Norðurárdalur. West of Virkishnjúkur peak, there is a deep tributary valley whose northern mountainside belongs to Egilsdalur valley, while the southern is part of Tungudalur valley, and then crosses into
Kjálki.
There is some lowland in the valley, although with the smallest amount around the middle, where
Norðurá river runs through extensive sandbanks, and the river's bows curve around the sandbanks in several places. Many tributaries flow into it, including the Kotaá, Valagilsá, Króká, and Egilsá rivers. Some rivers, especially Valagilsá, could pose as serious obstacles for travelers before there were bridges. The valley has nice weather and excellent plant coverage. Great reforestation efforts have begun at Silfrastaðafjall mountain. In recent years, over a million trees have been planted there.
On July 6, 1954, there were large landslides following a heavy rainstorm that lasted 24 hours and caused extensive damage, especially at
Fremri-Kot, where a landslide came to a standstill right above a residence; and at Ytri-Kot, which was already abandoned.
At most there were seven farms in the Norðurárdalur area, but only three remain:
Fremri-Kot, Egilsá, and Silfrastaðir. Egilsá became abandoned in 2009, but was inhabited again in 2010. For a long time, a summer residence for children operated there. It later was also used as a boarding school for mentally disabled teenagers.
Farms in Norðurárdalur
Inhabited:
*
Silfrastaðir
*
Fremri-Kot
*Egilsá
Abandoned:
*Borgargerði (abandoned in 1974)
*Ytri-Kot (abandoned in 1952)
*Krókárgerði (abandoned in 1898)
*Hálfdanartungur (abandoned in 1876)
Historical farms:
*Ausugerði (abandoned around 1670)
*Skeljungsskáli
*Bessakot
*Ketilsstaðir (abandoned in 1690)
*Haukagil/Grund
*Blómsturvellir
*VÃk
*Henglastaðir
*Gerði
*Smáaland
*Bygggerði
References
Bibliography
*Hjalti Pálsson (editor): Byggðasaga Skagafjarðar, volume IV. Akrahreppur. Sögufélag Skagfirðinga, 2007. ISBN 978-9979-861-15-7
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nordurardalur
Skagafjörður
Valleys of Iceland