Búðardalur is a quiet little settlement at the head of the Hvammsfjörður, in the Dalir district, where the long, green valleys of western Iceland run down to a shallow bay. There is not much to the village itself, a cluster of houses, a small harbour and a few services, but the district behind it is one of the most storied in the country. This is saga country, the setting of Laxdæla saga, one of the great medieval tales of love, jealousy and revenge.
The ride here from the south crosses a mixture of moorland, farmland and small passes, with long, open bends and wide views. The road is reasonably good, and traffic is light. The wind can be strong, and the weather changeable, so it is worth allowing extra time. In the evening the light across the fjord is soft and golden, and the whole district has a feeling of calm.
A few kilometres away, a reconstruction of the farmstead of Erik the Red, the Norse explorer who founded the first settlement in Greenland, stands on the site where he is said to have lived. His son Leifur Eiríksson, who is credited with reaching North America around the year 1000, is thought to have been born in this district. A visit to the turf-roofed longhouse, gives a vivid picture of Viking life.
Nature in the district is gentle. The slopes are green with grass and birch scrub, and the shallow fjord is full of birds, including eiders and waders. Icelandic horses graze in the fields, and in summer the air smells of hay and wild thyme. The long valleys are a good place for walking and fishing.
Services in the village are limited but include a shop and a place to eat, and it makes a good stop for coffee on the long road north. The next big stretch is toward the Westfjords, so allow time and check the forecast.