Bjartmarssteinn Rock in the Westfjords Region of Iceland - the Market Town of the Elves

Did you know that there is a big rock in the southern part of the Westfjords region in Iceland where the elves gather together in their market town? Here the elves sell and buy and elf ships bring elf goods to Iceland.

Yes, there are many strange things in my country which I regard to be totally normal, as I grew up in Iceland believing in the elves.

Top photo: Bjartmarssteinn rock

Bjartmarssteinn rock

This rock, Bjartmarssteinn, is located east of Reykhólar, the lovely village where I stayed for 3 days and on which I have dedicated 3 travel-blogs.

On the last day of my 9-day-stay in the Westfjords, I visited the Market Town of the Elves - the Centre of Elf Business in the Westfjords.

Bjartmarssteinn basalt columns

Bjartmarssteinn is a 55-meter tall volcanic plug. This big, almost round basalt rock stands farthest out on Borgarland peninsula, between Króksfjörður and Berufjörður fjords.

You can see the most extraordinary basalt columns in different forms and colour here, made from both basalt and rhyolite.

These basalt columns are among the most beautiful formations I have ever seen in my country.

This is such a beautiful hidden gem in the Westfjords region.

Hiking towards the Market Town of the Elves

By Bjartmarssteinn some people in the Westfjords have seen elf ships sailing towards this rock in midwinter.

I have also read other accounts where people in this area have seen elf ships in autumn and in spring and that seems to have been a more common season for the ships to come in.

Some psychic people in this area have seen crowds of elves gathering by Bjartmarssteinn at the time the ships came in. 

Bjartmarssteinn rock

They said that so many elves gathered by Bjartmarssteinn that the crowds gathering on Flatey island or Stykkishólmur town for the same purpose, paled in comparison to the number of the elves in their market town. These two villages were the largest ones by Breiðafjörður bay.

Just imagine how many elves live in this part of the Westfjords - and how many they are in the whole of Iceland - mostly living in harmony with us Icelanders and hidden from most of us.

By Bjartmarssteinn rock

Some people saw the elves going to their marketplace from all around the region, carrying a lot of goods back.

Some psychic people saw the elves going to Bjartmarssteinn and said that they even had an entourage of elves and many horses carrying the wool, proving to us that some of the elves were big farmers.

The basalt columns are quite tall

There is a farm on Borgarland peninsula, called Borg farm.

On that farm was a shepherd called Friðrik. He often heard singing coming from the rock and other rocks in this area - particularly on New Year's Eve. 

I found an audio account by a local, Karl Árnason, (in Icelandic) recorded in 1970 on Bjartmannssteinn, as he calls the rock, being the elf store in this area.

Before Christmas time elf boats could be seen sailing to the store with their goods. This account shows that some of the elves were Christian.

By Bjartmarssteinn rock

The rock is called by several names. I have heard Bjartmarssteinn, Bjartmanns-steinn, Pjattarsteinn, Pjattmarssteinn and I even saw it called Snasi in Þjóðsögur Jóns Árnasonar - the Compilation of Folklore by Jón Árnason.

In another audio account by the local, Karl Árnason, he tells us from where the name for Bjartmannssteinn originated. The farmer Grímur and his 3 sons drowned in Berufjörður fjord.

One of them was Bjartmann and Bjartmannssteinn got his name. The other names are Grímshólmi islet and Brandseyri spit, named after the farmer Grímur and his son Brandur.

Hiking by Bjartmarssteinn rock 

I don't know why the rock is sometimes called Bjartmannsteinn and sometimes Bjartmarssteinn. But seeing that the names are so similar, then this must be the same name. Bjartmar is also a man's name in Iceland.

In an audio account by another local, Ólína M. Magnúsdóttir, (in Icelandic), recorded in 1963, she tells us that the name Pjattarsteinn was what the rock had been called, but then people had started calling it Bjartmarssteinn.

I listened to more audio accounts and in one of them, a woman said that she had heard the name Pjattarsteinn in some folklore, but that the rock had been called Bjartmarssteinn.

Hiking by Bjartmarssteinn rock - it is quite rocky 

I haven't been able to find an account on Bjartmarssteinn in Þjóðsögur Jóns Árnasonar - the Folklore of Jón Árnason, which I often refer to when I am telling you elf stories from Iceland, apart from the one sentence where it is called Snasi, as I mentioned earlier.

I wonder why as this seems to have been a major elf location in Iceland.  

Photographing Bjartmarssteinn rock

On the other hand, I found a short account in a book called Þjóðsögur og munnmæli - Legend and folklore by Jón Þorkelsson:

"There was a man by the name of Jón Jónsson, nicknamed "kelli mín". He lived in Reykhólar. Once he sailed on a ship in front of Pjattasteinn.

He and those who were with him said that they had seen a window on the rock, and they had clearly seen a man inside sitting at a table writing. Jón "kelli mín" was an honest man who told the truth. Written in Gráskinna Gísla Konráðssonar, who wrote this story in 1850 by Una Loftsdóttir "kerling" from Bær in Króksfjörður".

This man might have been the Sheriff of the Elves as it is believed that he has his offices in Bjartmarssteinn rock.

I asked the elves for permission before I climbed in the rock and took photos, which is customary here in Iceland

When we visit this rock we are on elf-turf and there might be many elves here. We must show great respect and ask for permission to visit their market town. 

Elves don't like a racket, so let's talk in a soft voice while visiting their habitation, churches, or market places.

There are many stories about the revenge of the elves if we do something disrespectful and not to their liking.

Bjartmarssteinn rock

Also a word of warning - some elves sometimes try to lure people into the rocks with them - don't follow them into an open door in the rock - it might be difficult to get back out of the rock! 

Woe to those who try to haggle with the elves! The elves have their own business rules and haggling is considered to be very rude.

Colourful Bjartmarssteinn rock

It is best to be at Bjartmarssteinn on a low ebb as then it is possible to walk around the whole rock. Just watch out for the tide coming in.

I was a bit nervous about the tide as I didn't want to be stuck sitting on the marketplace of the elves if I were to be caught by surprise by the tide.

There are some extraordinary basalt formations to be seen on all sides of the rock, but on the west side of it, they are simply amazing and remind me of the ceiling inside our National Theatre. 

These basalt columns remind me of the ceiling in our National theatre

To be able to walk the whole way around Bjartmarssteinn we had to walk on top of some basalt columns, I hope the elves didn't mind. 

When I arrived at Bjartmarssteinn I asked the elves for permission, as is customary and all Icelanders know, to visit their market town and also asked them to show me some sign of their trading on this spot.

I thanked them for allowing me to visit their area and then walked around Bjartmarssteinn saying WOW in several places as the basalt columns here are so breathtaking; pure art of nature!

On the hike to Bjartmarssteinn rock - looking back

The hike to Bjartmarssteinn takes an hour or so, one way. Be prepared to get attacked by the Arctic tern at the beginning of the hike, so it is good to bring a stick with you.

I usually bring an umbrella when I expect an attack from the Arctic tern. The last time I was going to visit Bjartmarssteinn (2021) the Arctic terns attacked us with such force that we fled into the car again.

Bjartmarssteinn rock in 2021 - I only photographed it with my mobile phone from the road

On our first visit, we walked on the shore, which in some parts was very rocky and difficult to walk on. In other parts it was sandy and I found some beautiful rocks with crystals.

You will need good hiking shoes for this hike as the shore is rocky in some parts, especially while walking around Bjartmarssteinn. As I mentioned earlier then we had to step on some basalt columns for a while to be able to get to the other side.

Kindastígur - a narrow sheep path

I gave up walking on the shore in one part and followed a narrow sheep path on the hill. You will find these sheep paths almost everywhere in the countryside of Iceland. 

That path led me through birch trees where no path was in sight, so I had to fight my way through the birch. Fortunately, the birch trees on this peninsula are not that tall. 

I usually follow these sheep paths as although they are very narrow it is easy to follow a trail like that.

Bjartmarssteinn rock is almost round like a mound

While driving to the end of the gravel road on the Borgarland peninsula you will see many strangely shaped volcanic plugs. And the very distinct Mt. Vaðalfjöll above this area are columnar basalt plugs.

To reach Bjartmarssteinn rock from road 60, which is the main road on the south part of the Westfjords, turn on road 607 (a gravel road). 

Follow that road on the east side of Borgarland peninsula until you pass the farm Borg and drive to the end of the road. From there you will be able to reach Bjartmarssteinn rock by following the shore. 

Volcanic plugs on the Borgarland peninsula

This road is privately owned and a friend of mine told me that when he tried to visit Bjartmarssteinn rock a tractor was parked across the road, so he had to turn back. So the road might not always be open.

In many of my travel-blogs I often show you off the beaten path areas of Iceland and elf locations. I live in Iceland so I have more time and opportunities to visit areas that are not visited by many.

Borgarland peninsula

See also: Three days of fun at Reykhólar in the Westfjords of Iceland which is a village very close to Bjartmarssteinn rock. I stayed there for 3 days and explored the neighbouring area.

And if you want to read about other elf locations in Iceland then I have written many other travel-blogs, f.ex.:

The Elf-church Álfakirkja at Laugarvatnsvellir plains in Iceland

The Beautiful Elf City and Elf Church by Hotel Laki in South-Iceland

Have a lovely time visiting the beautiful Westfjords region of Iceland :)