Helgafell above Skammidalur. Photo: Philipp Weigell, CC BY 3.0
Skammidalur Valley is a short valley on the eastern edge of Mosfellsbær, about 15 km east of central Reykjavík in a straight line and 20 km by road.
It lies between Reykjafell to the south and Æsustaðafjall to the east, with Helgafell to the west, and opens through the gap of Skammaskarð, between Helgafell and Æsustaðafjall, towards Reykir and Mosfellsdalur.
The name means "short valley", and it is exactly that: a green bowl a couple of kilometres long with a road, Skammadalsvegur, running through it from the Reykjalundur area towards Æsustaðir.
It is a local walking, riding and allotment area rather than a tourist sight, and the buggy tours that cross it use its gravel tracks as a quick route out of town into the hills.
Key Takeaways About Skammidalur
- Short valley on the eastern edge of Mosfellsbær between Reykjafell, Æsustaðafjall and Helgafell (215 m), with Skammadalsvegur running through it.
- About 20 km from central Reykjavík via Route 1 and Reykjavegur; 25–30 minutes by car, Strætó route 15 to Mosfellsbær (Háholt).
- A local walking, riding and allotment area with a sheep-shelter ruin and hidden-people lore, not a tourist sight.
- Crossed by the Golden Circle buggy tour on gravel tracks between Hafravatn and Mosfellsheiði.
- Free, open all year; no facilities, no formal car park; private fields and gardens.
Why visit Skammidalur Valley
Skammidalur Valley is the kind of place Icelanders use every week and visitors rarely see. The valley floor is farmed grass and old hayfields with a cluster of allotment gardens and sheds, horses grazing behind fences, and a stream running down towards the Varmá river.
Around it rise three of Mosfellsbær's fells: Helgafell (215 m), Reykjafell and Æsustaðafjall. From the rim of the valley you look west over Mosfellsbær to the sea at Leiruvogur and south towards Reykjavík.
The valley has a long farming history.
The FERLIR walking group recorded a ruin about 6 by 3 metres on a grassy slope in the valley, which by its form served as a beitarhús, an outlying winter sheep shelter of the kind farmers built away from the farmhouse so the flock could graze the hillside.
An old path appears to have led to it from Helgafell farm.
Local lore adds a story about Sauðhóll, a hillock about 450 m south of Helgafell farm: a farmer driving sheep home from Skammidalur in an easterly blizzard saw a man ahead of him also driving sheep, who disappeared behind the hill.
When the farmer rounded it there was no trace of man or sheep, and he concluded that a hidden man had gone into the hill with his flock.
Skammidalur also sits on the edge of a geothermal area: Reykjalundur, the rehabilitation centre at the valley mouth, and the whole Reykir district are named for the hot springs that heat Mosfellsbær and part of Reykjavík.
How to get to Skammidalur Valley
From Reykjavík, take Route 1 (Vesturlandsvegur) north to Mosfellsbær. Leave the Ring Road at the Reykjavegur junction, follow Reykjavegur east past Reykjalundur, and turn onto Skammadalsvegur, which runs from the Helgafellshverfi area into the valley.
The drive from the city centre is about 20 km and takes 25 to 30 minutes. Strætó route 15 serves Mosfellsbær; from the Háholt stop it is roughly 2 km on foot to the valley mouth.
Skammadalsvegur is partly paved and partly gravel and is open all year, though the gravel section can be icy in winter. There is no formal car park; park off the road near the allotments without blocking gates or field entrances.
Everything in the valley is within a 10 to 20 minute walk of the road. No 4x4 is needed. Stay on tracks and paths: the fields and gardens are private.
Best time to visit
May to October for green grass, dry paths and long daylight; the valley is pleasant on a summer evening when the fells catch the low sun.
The Helgafell climb from the valley is a popular short hike in all seasons, but snow and ice make the steeper ground slippery from November to March. The buggy tour that crosses the valley runs from May to November.
Safety and practical tips
- Skammidalur Valley is a residential and farming area. Keep dogs on a lead, close gates, and do not walk through hayfields or allotments.
- Horses graze and are ridden here; slow down and give them space.
- Paths on Helgafell and Reykjafell are unmarked in places and can be muddy. Wear proper shoes and bring a windproof layer; the fells are exposed.
- There are no toilets or shops in the valley. The nearest services are in central Mosfellsbær (Háholt and Þverholt), about 2 km away, including the Varmárlaug swimming pool, cafés and supermarkets.
- Access is free and there are no opening hours.
Nearby attractions
- Reykjalundur - 1.1 km. Rehabilitation centre at the mouth of the valley, in the Reykir geothermal area.
- Álafoss - 1.9 km. Former wool mill (1919–1955), now a wool shop and artists' studios, by a small waterfall on Varmá.
- Varmá - 2.2 km. The warm river that runs through Mosfellsbær to the sea.
- Halldór Laxness Museum - 3.3 km. Gljúfrasteinn, the home of Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness, in Mosfellsdalur.
- Mosfellsdalur - 2.6 km. The broad valley to the north-east, beyond Skammaskarð.
- Hafrafell - 3 km. Low mountain south of Mosfellsbær above Hafravatn.
Tours that visit Skammidalur Valley
- Golden Circle Buggy Tour from Reykjavik - starts at Lambhagavegur 13 in Reykjavík and follows gravel tracks past Hafravatn and through Skammidalur on the way up to Mosfellsheiði and Þingvellir.