Sæból: Church History and Landscape

Sæból brings together architectural history and archaeological traces in a striking landscape. The sea is just a few steps away. Above the village, the mountain valley Skáladalur stretches to the west-southwest; the cliffs of Hnísur at the outer edge of the valley mouth are clearly visible from Sæból. A stay can therefore focus either more on the history surrounding the church and farmstead or on the landscape and hiking. When looking for a suitable holiday apartment, it helps to first consider which of these aspects will shape your travel plans.

Church and local history

The protected concrete church Sæbólskirkja was built in 1929 and consecrated on 29 September of that year. It was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, architect and state architect, and is among his early church designs. The church has a silver chalice and a paten, both made in Denmark in 1736. The year of construction, consecration and design place the church building in context; the chalice and paten add an older historical layer to this picture.

The cemetery and farmstead site are also part of the area's history. The historic cemetery of Sæból is a church and burial site; a memorial stone commemorates the former church site and those buried there. Until 1939, three adjoining buildings stood in a continuous row on the historic farmstead site. Sæból is considered very likely to have been a settlement farm; the farm's original name may have been Ingjaldssandur.

Nearby, west of Sæból on Mount Barði, are protected remains known as Íngjalds-dysjar. East of the village are old enclosures called Akrar, listed as protected archaeological remains. Near Skáladal, the burial mound known as Ingjaldshaugur is still visible; it lies on the route from the ridge over Purka. These places add named archaeological traces in the surrounding area to the history of Sæból.

Landscape and hiking

A short hiking trail leads from Sæból into the small valley of Skáladalur. Another hike runs from Sæbólskirkja to Sandvík and then back to Sæból. An older route description calls the footpath from Nesdal over the mountain between Búðarhorn and Loðnuhvilftir and onward through Skáladal to Sæból the shortest walking route. Those unfamiliar with the area should take this route only in clear conditions, as rough rocks can make it difficult and fog or bad weather can cause problems with navigation. Check current trail conditions before planning.

Sæból's landholding includes an approximately 11-kilometre stretch of coastline from Þúfa west of Nesdal to Reyðarskeri below Hrafnaskálarnúpur. Large parts are difficult to traverse, especially the shores beneath Barði and Hrafnaskálarnúpur. If you include this coastal section in your plans, take these challenging areas into account.

Considering Sæból as a starting point

When choosing a holiday apartment in Sæból, the distribution of the routes is a practical planning consideration: a short trail leads from the village into the valley, the hike to Sandvík starts at the church and returns to Sæból, and the historic route begins in Nesdal and ends in Sæból. If you are planning hikes, you can first compare which destination and conditions suit your travel plans. If your main interest is local history, the church, cemetery and farmstead site provide specific themes for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Thingeyri, Árnes, Staður, Prestbakki, Borðeyri, Hólmavík, Bíldudalur, Bolungarvík.

For the broader travel overview: Westfjords.