Discover Sæból: Church, history and coast

Sæból offers clear points of interest for travelers interested in architectural history, archaeological traces and a distinctive landscape. There are also historical connections to the area and documented hikes.

Church and local history

The protected Sæbólskirkja is a concrete church dating from 1929; it was consecrated on September 29 of that year. It was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, an architect and state building inspector. It is one of his early church designs. The church has a silver chalice and paten, both made in Denmark in 1736. The building history and these older liturgical objects offer different points of reference in time for learning about the area.

Sæból’s historic cemetery is also part of its church and cemetery sites. A memorial stone commemorates the former church site and those buried there. Until 1939, three adjoining buildings stood in a connected row on the historic farmstead. Thus, local history encompasses not only the church but also a former farmstead and the memory of the earlier church site.

Archaeological traces in the area

West of Sæból, protected remains known as Íngjalds-dysjar lie on Mount Barði. East of the village are old enclosures called Akrar, listed as protected archaeological remains. The two names therefore refer to different directions and sites in the surrounding area.

Near Skáladal, the burial mound known as Ingjaldshaugur is still visible. It lies on the route from the mountain ridge via Purka. Sæból is thought with a high degree of probability to have been a settlement-era farm; Ingjaldssandur may have been the farm’s original name. The differing levels of certainty matter here: the classification as a settlement-era farm is considered likely, while the earlier name remains a possibility.

Hikes, valley and coastal landscape

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. The routes offer different destinations: the short trail focuses on the valley, while the other hike leads to Sandvík and back to Sæból. If you choose the trail into the valley, check the current trail conditions beforehand.

A historical 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 visibility. Rugged rocks, fog or bad weather can make navigation difficult. Check current conditions before setting out on such a trip.

Sæból is just a few steps from the sea. Sæból’s landholding includes an approximately 11-kilometer coastline from Þúfa west of Nesdal to Reyðarskeri below Hrafnaskálarnúpur. Much of it is difficult to traverse, especially the shore beneath Barði and Hrafnaskálarnúpur. The landscape above the village is also distinctive: the mountain valley of Skáladalur stretches west-southwest, and the cliffs of Hnísur at the outer edge of its mouth are clearly visible from Sæból. Together with the different route descriptions, these features provide concrete points of reference for distinguishing between history, terrain and hiking destinations when planning a trip.

Discover more destinations: Keflavik, Breiðavík, Hnífsdalur, Hólmavík, Thingeyri, Reykhólar, Drangsnes, Látur.

For the broader travel overview: Westfjords.