Oxnadalur (Öxnadalur) Valley
Oxnadalur (Öxnadalur) Valley
When driving through this valley west of Akureyri, the outline of the dramatic Hraundrangar mountain range is certain to grab your attention. Its jagged peaks were formed when the flank of the mountain collapsed, probably at the end of the Ice Age. You can see traces of this giant landslide in the dune-like hillocks on both sides of the valley.
Nestled below the mountain is Hraun farm, the birthplace of one of Iceland´s best-loved poets, Jonas Hallgrímsson, who was also an author and naturalist; 50 of his works have been translated into English. Named after the poet, Jónasarlundur is a picnic spot with toilets, by a small area of woodland on the banks of the torrent Oxnadalsa.
From the farm Háls, you can hike up the mountain slope to Hraunvatn, an idyllic small lake, formed when the landslide blocked a river course.