Iceland: Day 21 - Stöng

July 15, 2004

We found an "interesting spot" marked on our map and decided to follow a bumpy backroad, at the end of which we came to the Stöng ruins.

Some early settlers of Iceland chose the fertile valley of Þjórsárdalur as the site for their farmsteads. However in 1104, Mt Hekla to the south erupted and the entire district was laid to waste, burying the settlement under tonnes of volcanic debris and ash.

In 1939, eight of the farms that were buried under tephra have been excavated and covered up again for preservation purposes. Stöng was left excavated to show visitors about the design and construction of Viking long-houses and their evolution up to the 12th century. We walked around the foundations of the farmhouse covered by a large protective wooden shelter.

In 1974, a replica of Stöng called Thjoðveldisbaer (Commonwealth Farm),was created a few kilometres down the valley. It is perhaps the best representation of Icelandic medieval dwelling. We visited the outside of Thjoðveldisbaer and spent some time playing with 2 of the current residents... a bunch of cute little kittens. A tour group arrived who marvelled at the intermittent 'rain' over the front entrance and Rubby tried to explain that it was just the sprinkler on the other side of the roof. Unfortunately, in attempting to demonstrate how to run through the water and jump over the board at the front entrance he hit his head on the low doorway and ended up flat on his back. The result was a Harry Potter like scar on his forehead and we decided to leave behind the trauma and continue our explorations elsewhere.

Our next quest was to find Háifoss, another famous waterfall, but we got lost and ended up at an interesting "shuttle bridge" and finding a quarry instead.

Colourful rhyolite mountain serve as a backdrop for the plains that are still mostly covered in volcanic ash and rock.

A short picturesque hike to the excavated site of Stöng.

The inside of Stöng.

replica of Stöng called Thjoðveldisbaer (Commonwealth Farm)

The kittens tried to lure us away from the evil door but Rubby still managed to get a huge bump on his head!

We crossed the newer bridge but stopped to look at the older bridge which seemed to have some sort of shuttle system to get people and supplies across.

Massive walls of a quarry. The rhyolite stone is very brittle.

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