Hjorleifshofdi
A former island now stranded in black sand, holding a saga killing, a lost farm and a much photographed cave.
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Hjorleifshofdi is a lump of rock about 220 metres high sitting alone on the Myrdalssandur, and it was once a headland on the sea until floods from Katla's eruptions poured so much sediment out that the coast moved kilometres south, leaving it inland. It is named for Hjorleifur Hrodmarsson, the foster-brother of Ingolfur Arnarson, who according to the sagas settled here and was killed by his enslaved men; a mound on the summit is pointed out as his grave. A farm stood on the hill into the twentieth century and was abandoned in 1936. On the north side a cave in the cliff, sometimes called the Yoda cave for its shape, gets most of the modern attention.
What you actually see
- A former island in sand - the sea pushed back by Katla's floods.
- A saga grave on the summit - the mound named for Hjorleifur.
- A farm abandoned in 1936 - ruins on the hill.
- The cave in the north cliff - the shape that made it famous.
When to go
May to September; the sand track is exposed and bleak in winter. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The walk to the top is steep, unmarked in places and fully exposed to wind. The sand plain around it fills the air in dry weather. The cave gets busy and the parking area is small gravel. There are no facilities.
Nearby
Vik is west; Thakgil lies inland behind the sands.
What to pack for Hjorleifshofdi
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
