Líflind Hellnamanna

Hellnar, a 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 Guðríður 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 (see Road 75). 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.