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Kalfskinn
is a farm in the Arskogsstrond area, where the present (2004) occupants
have built up varied travel services. The historical glow of the farm
is mainly based on the occupation of King Hraerekur, the king of
Heidmork in Norway, who King Olaf the Holy had blinded and sent to
Iceland. He liked the change of domicile, the lack of communications
with the nobility of Norway, because he felt the more appreciated by his
new neighbours in Iceland.
After his death he was buried in a mound near the home
pastures of his farm named after him and he is probably is
the only king, who has been buried in Iceland. The
”king” and occupant of farm Kalfskinn, Sveinn Jonsson and his descendants,
organized a wide range of services for travellers at the
farm. Sveinn's fertile mind and ideas always
kept his compemporaries on their toes in spite of the fact, that he and
his family have
had to carry them out without much support of others.
His name is most probably going down in history as one of
the most prolific ideologist, optimistic and imaginative
pioneer of tourism in Iceland of his time. |