the dalasýsla folk museum at laugar is also very nearby. laugar means warm springs and the name comes from two springs that provide water at a temperature of 60°c. icelandic sagas mention a bathing pool at laugar and traces of ancient structures are still visible at one of the springs, which is now largely covered by a landslide. this site is believed to have been the old bathing spring. the other spring is now used to heat local buildings and the swimming pool at laugar. the beautiful icelandic countryside around laugar is wonderful for excursions, either by car or on foot. an easy walk from laugar takes you to tungustapi, a rocky outcrop which, according to folklore, is an elven church. at eiríksstaðir in haukadalur there is a replica of a viking farmstead built to commemorate eiríkur (erik) the red, settler of greenland, and his son leifur eiríksson (leif the lucky), who discovered america around 1000 ad. laugar is one of two farms in the sælingsdalur valley. the other, sælingsdalstunga, was the home of guðrún ósvífursdóttir, one of the protagonists of laxdæla saga. traces are still visible of a church built at sælingsdalstunga by the chieftain snorri, who lived there before guðrún.