Viking Story Night: Njáls Saga and Food at Mr Iceland Farm

The farm is in the countryside outside Hvolsvöllur, the area that forms the main setting of Njáls saga. This saga is named for Njáll Þorgeirsson, a chieftain from Bergþórshvoll in the Landeyjar district, and also known as the Story of Burnt Njáll. The events span 950 to 1020, though the text wasn't written until approximately 1280, some 260 years later. 

Your evening starts at 8:00 PM in the stable at Mr Iceland Farm. The calm Icelandic horses here are working animals rather than an attraction, and the few moments spent with them set the tone for what follows. There's no riding, just time with them before the evening moves indoors. A traditional wool cape is offered if you want one, and these were practical garments long before they became symbols. 

From the stable, you'll move into the old barn hall: gravel floor, concrete walls, candles down a long wooden table where everyone sits together. Small plates go from guest to guest rather than in courses. You'll try hákarl, or fermented shark, along with dried fish and smoked lamb, plus a local spirit called Brennivín. Water and Malt, a non-alcoholic Icelandic malt drink, are there too. These are tastings rather than dinner, so eat before you drive out. 

A local storyteller opens with Njáls saga and widens into old ways of working the land and the folklore that still shapes how people treat certain places nearby. Elves and trolls feature. Nothing is hurried, and there's room to listen rather than keep up. 

Expect to finish around 9:30 PM. In winter, that means driving back in full dark, so check weather and road conditions before you set out. In late June and July, it will still be daylight when you leave, which changes how the barn feels but not its substance.