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Arnarfell
was an annex to the Thingvellir farm with the rights of land
north of a low mountain by the same name to the southeast of
the lake. Still nowadays, the ruins of a long stonewall
marking its boundaries can be traced. Nearby other ruins
suggest the existence of a mountain dairy in the summer
pastures of the farm Thingvellir. The annex was not
constantly occupied. The last occupant, a doctor of
medicine, who operperated the farm for a few years before it
was permanently abandoned, imported a few
reindeer from the eastern part of the country to breed.
They did not survive long.
Bodvarsholl is a mound to the east of the
Gjabakki route across the lava field from Vellankatla (Cove Vatnsvik), where
a farm by the same name is said to have stood. At the foot of the mound,
ruins of a sheep shed are still obvious. Straight above the ruins the
western Thingvellir cave is to be found. This cave was used to
accommodate sheep in the past.
Grimsstadir.
The ruins of this farm are situated to the south of the
abandoned farm Svartagil, half way between it and the
still occupied farm Brusastadir. It is said to have been
the abode of Grimur the small, who brought up Hordur
Grimkelsson, the hero of the Hardar Saga.
Hrafnabjorg was situated to the north of the
table mountain by the same name, and referred to as a church site, which
sounds highly unlikely because of the lack of fresh water sources in the
area.
Hrauntun was situated to the south of the lava
ridge Sledaas. A farm was built there in 1830 on the ruins of an older
one, which was abandoned in the beginning of the 15th century
during the bubonic plague. Three generations occupied the farm until it
was permanently abandoned in 1934. Another cluster of the ruins of farm Litla-Hrauntun are situated a bit further
to the west.
Skogarkot. The obvious ruins of this farm, both
at the foot of and on the top of the mound Sjonarholl are on the
most frequented routes across and in the middle of the rift valley of
the Thingvellir area. It was occupied until 1936.
Vatnskot
was situated by the lake near Vellankatla. The occupants based their
livelihood mainly on the char and
trout fishing. The people who took over the operation of the farm in
1912 were the last to leave the area in 1966.
Olkofradalur is a deep depression in the lava
field by the mound Olkofraholl to the southeast of the farmstead
Skogarkot. Usually the groundwater level of the area maintained a pond
in the depression, which supplied the small farm there with fresh water. |