Herdísarvík

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Herdísarvík is a small bay and an abandoned farm on the south coast of Reykjanes in Iceland. The name means “bay of Herdís,” after a folk figure from the region.

The land at the foot of Herdísarvíkurfjall is covered by Herdísarvíkurhraun, three lava flows that came from the Brennisteinsfjöll volcanic system. The lava created reefs in the water and made the area very remote for a long time. Today Route 427 runs nearby.

In the Middle Ages and later, Icelanders wintered along the coast to fish. Until about 1925, fishermen from the Reykjanes area used rowing boats to catch herring or cod. Herdísarvík had a good landing for small boats and was used by people from nearby farms to transport goods. Around 1900 new huts were built for winter fishing, and some remains of huts and fish-drying walls can still be seen.

The farm was known for its wealth for several centuries. It had good land by the sea, plus pasture in the mountains. It also earned income from hunting seabirds and seals, fishing, trout in a nearby lagoon, and driftwood.

In 1932 the wealthy entrepreneur, politician and writer Einar Benediktsson moved to Herdísarvík with his wife Hlín Johnson. He preferred the quiet place. The area had few amenities: no phone until 1945 and no road until 1948, so visitors came by boat or on foot. Einar promoted power stations and heavy industry; his grandson Bjarni Benediktsson later became Iceland’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. Einar died in Herdísarvík on January 12, 1940; Hlín lived there until 1958 and ran the farm, selling ice from the lake to fishermen from Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

Today the land is owned by the University of Iceland, which received it as a donation from Einar Benediktsson. The Krýsuvík farm, also owned by him, was managed from Herdísarvík when it had no tenant.