Gunnuhver: Iceland’s Most Famous Ghost

Iceland is a land of fire and ice and is also a land steeped in folklore and ghostly tales. From spirits to mischievous elves, the paranormal is woven into the very fabric of the island and among its many ghost stories, one stands out that spooks visitors and locals alike with its tragic origins, the ghost of Gunnuhver.

Reykjanes Peninsula is a barren volcanic landscape dotted with bubbling mud pots and fuming fumaroles, the air is thick with the scent of sulphur and is home to the Gunnuhver geothermal area. It’s a place of raw, untamed power, and fittingly it’s also said to the be the eternal haunting ground of a troubled spirit named Gudrún.

The Tragic Tale of Poor Gudrún

The story begins in the 17th century with Gudrún, a young woman living a difficult life. She was a tenant farmer that was struggling to make ends meet and her existence was marked by hardship and misfortune. The exact details of her life are lost in the past but her story suggests she was unjustly treated by a bailiff named Vilhjálmur.

Vilhjálmur was, by all accounts, a cruel and greedy man. He confiscated Gudrún’s only cooking pot because she couldn’t repay her debts. It was a devastating blow for a poor woman trying to survive.

Heartbroken and enraged by this injustice, Gudrún placed a curse on Vilhjálmur. She declared that he would be an outlaw and that she would find him, even after death. Shortly after placing the curse Gudrún died but her spirit, fuelled by anger and a thirst for justice, did not rest.

Vilhjálmur, did indeed become an outlaw and was forced to flee for his life but it was not human pursuers he truly feared, it was Gudrún’s ghost. Its said that she hounded him, terrorizing him every day and night, until, legend says, she dragged him into the boiling mud pits of Gunnuhver, ending his life and claiming her revenge.

Her Restless Spirit Still Roams

Even after her vengeance on Vilhjálmur, Gudrún’s spirit couldn’t find peace. Her anger and sorrow were so profound that she remained tied to the Gunnuhver area. She was a tormented spirit unable to cross into the afterlife.

Locals soon began to report strange happenings. Unexplained shadows, disembodied whispers, and objects moving on their own.

The haunting grew so severe that two priests, Eiríkur from Vogsós and Páll from Ferstikla, were called upon to help get rid of her spirit. They devised a clever plan, they would trick Gudrún into grabbing a ball of yarn, which they would then secure, but this wasn’t just any yarn, it was enchanted and blessed with a protective spell.

The priests succeeded. They managed to trap Gudrún’s ghostly hand in the yarn and with a powerful incantation they bound her spirit to a steaming vent that now bears her name: Gunnuhver, “Gudrún’s hot spring.”

Gunnuhver stands in the heart of the Reykjanes peninsula.

Encountering Gudrún Today

Even after centuries later, the legend of Gudrún persists. Visitors to Gunnuhver often speak of a sense of unease and a feeling of being watched. Some even claim to have seen shadowy figures flitting through the steam, while others have reported hearing strange sounds amidst the hiss and gurgle of the geothermal activity.

So is it just the power of suggestion, fuelled by a captivating legend? Or does Gudrún’s tormented spirit still linger, forever bound to the land where she suffered and sought her revenge?

Gunnuhver is undeniably an atmospheric place, its raw and untamed beauty enhanced by the chilling tale of its resident ghost. If you ever find yourself on the Reykjanes Peninsula keep a look out as you might just feel the presence of poor Gudrún, eternally tied to her namesake hot spring.