Berserkjahraun

About Berserkjahraun

Berserkjahraun is a lava field on the northern side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland, between Stykkishólmur and Grundarfjörður. It formed around 4,000 years ago, when four scoria craters erupted in quick succession in a row running west to east from the Kerlingarskarð pass. The lava flowed from the slopes of Bjarnarhafnarfjall down to the sea at Hraunsfjörður and Hraunsvík, leaving a broad field of rough, broken rock.

The name, meaning 'lava field of the berserks', comes from Eyrbyggja saga. In the story, the farmer Vermundur of Bjarnarhöfn brought two Swedish berserkers, Halli and Leiknir, to Iceland, and they later went into the service of his brother, Víga-Styr, who lived at Hraun. When Halli asked to marry Styr's daughter Ásdís, Styr set the brothers impossible tasks, including clearing a path through the lava between the farms. They finished the work, but instead of keeping his promise Styr had them killed and buried near the path.

The field is easy to see from the road. Route 54 passes the lava field, and Route 558 (Berserkjahraunsvegur) runs through the lava itself, giving closer views of the craters and the lava. There are no facilities in the lava field and no entry fee. The Bjarnarhöfn farm, with its shark museum and bistro, is nearby, so the two are often combined.

The lava field is worth a stop on any drive around Snæfellsnes, and several small-group tours from Reykjavík include it along with Kirkjufell. It can be seen in any season, though in winter check road conditions for Route 54 and treat the smaller Route 558 with care.