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Hellnar - A fishing village - Snaefellsnes Iceland

By road no. 574 , between Arnarstapi and Hellissandur

Region: Snaefellsnes

GPS: N64°45.8 W23°38.54

About: (Description)
Hellnar, a fishing village on a pretty coastline with strange rock formations. The cave Baðstofa is there, known for the strange light in it. A church, formerly at Laugarbrekka, where the cemetery is. Hellnar is the birthplace of Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir, the wife of Þorfinnur karlsefni. They attempted to settle in Vínland in the year 1004 and Guðríðuur gave birth to the first white child to be born in America, Snorri Þorfinnsson. Guðríður was one of the greatest travellers of medieval times, walking all the way to Rome, among other things. She eventually settled down at Glaumbær in Skagafjörður.

Most Icelanders are thought to be able to trace their ancestry to her. By Gróuhóll in Hellnar there is a spring that goes by the name of Lífslind Hellnamanna (“Spring of life”), but has in recent times been called Maríulind(“Spring of Mary”) after an image of the Virgin Mary was put up by the spring. It is belived that the spring has healing powers and it is said that it will never dry up.

According to legend, Bishop Guðmundur the Good came to this place in 1230 and along with his fellow travellers had a vision of a woman accompanied
by three angels. She bade him consecrate the spring, and he did so.

Walking route to Arnarstapi. Just below the main road, to the west of Laugarvatn above Þinghamar and the ruins of the farm and church at Laugarbrekka, is a memorial to Guðríður, and a statue of her by Ásmundur Sveinson.

How to get there:
From Borgarnes take road no. 54 direction Ólafsvík - Stykkishólmur. Drive by that road to exit to road no. 574 to Arnarstapi and Hellnar.

source Iceland Road Atlas

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