From the Viking Era

Gjesvær is a living fishing village today and also has a long history. Gjesvær is an old residence from the Viking Age and is mentioned in the old Icelandic saga "Heimskringla" as Geirsver.

Geirsver was the last stop before they rounded the North Cape on the way to Bjarmaland (Russia).

The story from the spring of 1026 tells that Olav the Holy sent his herdsman Karle on a cruise in Bjarmaland. The agreement was that the king would have half the dividend. When Tore Hund heard this, he went with him, but in his own ship, and said they should share equally. The dividend was rich, and in Geirver there was an argument about the dividend, whereupon Tore Hund runs his spear through Karle and says "Here you will get to know a bear cub, Karle". This battle made Olav the Holy so indignant that it nurtured the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. Perhaps one can say that the origin of the Battle of Stiklestad started here in Gjersvær.

The site of the fight is right behind our camp.