This travel-blog is the fifth a part of my 8 half sequence of travel-blogs about Eyjafjörður fjord in North Iceland. My final travel-blog was about probably the most well-known ghost story in Iceland “Djákninn á Myrká”- the Deacon of Dark River.
I made a detour from Eyjafjörður fjord into Hörgárdalur and Öxnadalur valleys to indicate you the place the ghost story occurred. And I need to present you my all-time favorite mountain in Iceland, the top Hraundrangi in Mt. Drangafell.
High photograph: Hraundrangi within the clouds
Háls in Öxnadalur and Hraundrangi
It’s a fully gorgeous mountain, like one thing out of a fairytale, a cathedral-like mountain, and one simply has to cease and admire it. The mountain peak Hraundrangi makes it ever so majestic.
Beneath the mountain is the farm Hraun, after which Hraundrangi was named. The farm Hraun was the birthplace of the beloved Icelandic poet and pure scientist Jónas Hallgrímsson (1807-1845) who wrote a few of Iceland’s most lovely poems.
It isn’t the farm within the above photograph although, that is Háls farm, it simply makes for a very good photograph motif. Hraun is somewhat bit additional east.
The memorial for Jónas Hallgrímsson in Jónasarlundur
Jónas Hallgrímsson was born at Hraun in Öxnadalur on the sixteenth of November in 1807 however moved to Steinsstaðir shut by a yr later, the place he grew up. He died in Copenhagen in 1845, solely 37 years previous.
His grave is at Þingvellir nationwide park in South-Iceland, one in every of solely 2 graves within the nationwide graveyard within the nationwide park.
There’s a pretty grove proper by the principle street in Öxnadalur valley, the Jónas Memorial Grove (Jónasarlundur). It was consecrated in 1996 and devoted to the reminiscence of Jónas Hallgrímsson. The grove was consecrated that yr in reminiscence of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Jónas.
You will discover a memorial stone within the Memorial Grove with a low-relief of Jónas.
The view-dial in Jónasarlundur in Öxnadalur
Contained in the grove, you’ll additionally discover a view-dial, erected in 1958 by Ferðafélag Íslands, Akureyrardeild. It reveals the names and peak of the encircling mountains and is the eighth view-dial erected in Iceland.
The bushes have grown a lot for the reason that view-dial was put up that they’re now completely blocking the view. I’ve seen previous footage from Jónasarlundur grove and again then it seemed completely totally different and the view-dial stood tall on a mound with only a few bushes round it.
My husband and father-in-law by the view-dial in Jónasarlundur – the view-dial is sort of tall and tough to {photograph}
My father-in-law, Jakob Hálfdanarson, designs view-dials and we’re at all times looking out for them when travelling round Iceland.
Now again to my favorite mountain. The title Hraundrangi means Lava pillar or Lava spire. Mt. Drangafjall divides two valleys, Öxnadalur valley, and Hörgárdalur valley.
Hraundrangi within the snow
Mt. Hraundrangi is 1,075 meters tall and was believed to be unscalable, however in 1956 three climbers conquered the mountain, 2 Icelanders from the Icelandic Air Floor Rescue Group, and a Lieutenant of the US Air Pressure. It took them 6 hours to climb the peaks and the floor on high of the height was lower than half an m2.
Since then the mountain has been climbed many instances and in 1991 eleven folks mounted it on the identical event. One thing round 150 folks have now managed to climb this magnificent peak. You may watch a video of a 2020 climb on Vísir, it’s really wonderful.
Hraundrangi and Drangakista to the left of it
Icelandic folklore tells us about a keg stuffed with cash within the peak and the one first climbing the height would get that keg. The primary climbers did not discover any hint of that keg; was there perhaps somebody who had preceded them…?
One other legend tells us about Grettir Ásmundarson, the hero of the Icelandic Grettir’s Saga, climbing the mountain and leaving his knife and belt up there.
Photographing Mt. Hraundrangi
Automobiles typically cease in the course of the street when folks spot this lovely mountain and cease to admire it, because it abruptly seems like an attractive fortress.
However in the event you drive somewhat additional in your right-hand aspect you will discover a driveway the place you possibly can cease and take photos.
A little bit bit additional on additionally, you will discover a driveway in your left-hand aspect and may get out of the automotive there. It’s so price it, Hraundrangi is simply breathtaking.
Regardless of what number of instances I go to North-Iceland I at all times cease and admire this mountain and take pictures.
Hraundrangi is named Drangi from this aspect in Hörgárdalur valley
There’s one other approach of seeing the mountain and that’s to drive behind the mountains into Hörgárdalur valley and see Hraundrangi from the opposite aspect; from Myrká the place the grave of the Deacon of Dark river is positioned.
The mountain appears to be like equally majestic from Hörgárdalur valley, the less-visited aspect of it.
The locals in Hörgárdalur valley do not seek advice from the top as Hraundrangi, solely Drangi. And that’s comprehensible because the farm Hraun after which Hraundrangi is called is within the different valley.
Hraundrangi appears to be like wonderful with the solar pillar
As you possibly can see from the pictures, that are taken over a interval of a number of years, I simply can not get sufficient of this mountain. I want I had had a greater digital camera after I took the final photograph because it was breathtaking seeing the peaks flooded with daylight.
To achieve this space you possibly can rent a car in Reykjavík and drive up north – Hraundrangi is 372 km away from the capital metropolis.
That is half V in my sequence of travel-blogs on Eyjafjörður fjord – you possibly can be part of me on a tour of this longest fjord of Iceland with some detours into some fascinating valleys:
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part I – Hrísey Island, the Pearl of Eyjafjörður
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part II – Dalvík & the Great Fish Day
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part III – the Historical Gásir and the Vikings
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part IV – The Deacon of Dark River – A Ghost Story from North-Iceland
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part V – Mt. Hraundrangi in Öxnadalur and Hörgárdalur Valleys
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part VI – Akureyri – the Capital City of North-Iceland
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part VII – the Christmas House is open all Year round
Eyjafjörður fjord up North – part VIII – Historical Churches in the Mouth of the Fjord
Have a beautiful time in North-Iceland 🙂
