Gíslahellir

The southern part of the Westfjords is part of the setting of Gísla saga Súrssonar, one of the Icelandic Sagas. Gíslahellir in Hörgsnes is named after ancient folktales that say Gísli Súrsson (born in 950) stayed there when fleeing from his enemies. The cave in question is a rock cave underground with an entrance through a sort of hole, so whoever wants to enter the cave has to slide down feet first. The cave is very dark, but there’s a sliver of light that comes from the opening. During thaws and wet periods, the hole become very uninhabitable and damp, since birch scrubs no longer shield the opening as they used to.

It is believed that Gíslasaga was recorded on parchment in the 13^th century, and in 1981, the movie "Outlaw” (Útlaginn), directed by Ágúst Guðmundsson, was based on the story.