31 May - Brennu-Njáls saga

Laugarnes appears three times in Brennu-Njáls saga.

The mound is the site of the mid-10th century farmhouse.

Nearby Norðurkotsvör was a landing place for boats.

Excavation of a Viking period longhouse in central Reykjavík.

The remains of one wall still survives - shown by the line of large stones sitting on the light brown soil.

The nearer wall has been removed and the cut and foundation are being recorded.

Grindavík appears in Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu and Harðar saga og Hólmverja.  It is now a busy fishing port.

30 May - Brennu-Njáls saga

Gjábakki appears in Brennu-Njáls saga

Bergþórshvoll was the site of Njal's farm, where the Burning of Njal and his family took place.

Ossabær also occurs in Brennu-Njáls saga; it is on the site of the modern farm at Vossabær, not where the sign suggests.

Þingvallavatn - the lake at Þingvellir.

29 May - Egils saga

Hvítárvellir - the site of a Viking Age trading site on the Hvítár river . The site is mentioned in several sagas.

One of the Egils saga cairns stands near the bridge. Egil's son, Böðvar, was drowned in the Hvítár river near this spot.

Þingvellir, the National Assembly site, appears in many sagas.

28 May - Laxdæla saga

For once the weather was good enough to fly the drone.  A view along the valley looking towards the estuary end of the river.

The estuary of the river Blaná at Blönduós.

Looking across the fjord to Kambsmes.

The site of Aud the Deep-Minded's settlement at Hvammur.

27 May - Ljósvetninga saga and others

Húsavík appears in Bárðar saga, Heiðarvíga saga, Ljósvetninga saga and Reykdæla saga.

According to Landnámabók, Húsavík was the first place in Iceland to be settled by a Norseman when in c. 870 Garðar Svavarsson remained for one year, it is now a tourist centre for Whale Watching.

Further north from Húsavík, the Tjörnes peninsula is mentioned in Ljósvetninga saga and Reykdæla saga.  The photograph shows the very northern tip of the peninsula.

The famous Myvatn lake drains into the Laxá River - which features in the Laxdæla saga.

The photograph shows the Laxá shorty after it leaves Myvatn.

At the southern end of  Eyjafjörður Fjord the modern church of Kaupangskirkja overlooks the site of Kaupangur - an early trading site which is mentioned twice in Ljósvetninga saga.

A little to the north of Kaupangur, lies the old Thing site of Vaðlaþing, which also appears in Ljósvetninga saga.

This site lies across the fjord from Akureyri.

26 May - Ljósvetninga saga and Víga-Glúms saga

Akureyri (the old town area) and Naust just to the south, both appear in Ljósvetninga saga.

The old town area of Akureyri lies to the south of the modern town, and the area of its harbour can still be recognised:

A view from the area around Naust, looking south-east:

The area to the south of  Eyjafjörður Fjord is the area where much of the action of  Víga-Glúms saga takes place:

25 May - Vatnsdæla saga and others

In the morning a tour around the Vatnsnes peninsular which features in Grettis saga and Laxdæla saga, as well as several others.  This peninsular has good low-lying ground around most of its circumference

with dramatic mountains in the centre

Then on to þingeyrar - originally the site of an assembly during the period of the Commonwealth (930 -  1264), as the name suggests, and then the site of a church and farm built by Jón Ögmundarson, Bishop of Hólar (1106 - 1121).  There is now a 19th c. church alongside the site of the farm.

Thn to Blönduós (the estuary of the river Blandá), which features in Laxdæla saga and Vatnsdæla saga among others.  The estuary of the river, with the West Fjords in the distance, is very beautiful.

And then on to Vatnsdalur - the centre of the Vatnsdæla saga.  An amazing location with stark cliffs to the east, and excellent land running up from the river to the west.

24 May Laxdæla saga and others

The very western end of the Laxá river looking east:

and looking west to the estuary:

The landscape of the Westfjords is amazing.

Then on to Reykjahólar, where Grettis saga tells us that Þorgils lived.  It also features in Fóstbræðra saga, and Njáls saga, 

23 May - Laxdæla saga

Borðeyri appears in Laxdæla saga, Grettis saga, Vatnsdæla saga, and several others.  In Laxdæla saga it is where Örn, the stýrimaður, and hirðmaður of King Harold Gunnhildarson anchored his ship.  Today, it still has a small harbour.

And then a drive along the splendidly scenic Laxádalur - the valley through which the Laxá (Salmon River) flows.

22 May - Egils saga Skallagrímssonar

Egil's father, Skallagrim settled in Borg (Borg á Mýrum) when he left Norway.

The area around here has a number of cairns which have been erected to locate areas that relate to Egils saga.

The cairn at Borg is situated above the area where Skallagrim's farm would have been.  From this site one has a wonderful view across Borgarfjörður.

In Borgarnes, another cairn records the drowning of Egil's nurse by Skallagrim.  The cairn stands by Brákarsund, where her death took place.

Also in Borgarnes, is a cairn marking the burial mound of Skallagrim, which was later opened to receive the body of Egil's son, Böðvar.

The burial mound stands nearby in the park.

Just outside of Borganes at Granastaðir another cairn at  marks the area of land granted to Grani, a crew-member on Skallagrim's ship.

In the afternoon the weather turned bad and so further exploration of the cairns was cancelled in favour of a drive around the Snæfellsnes peninsular.  A splendid area, but it was not an afternoon for photography!