About 13km east of Vík and just south of Rte 1, the small peak of Hjörleifshöfði (221m) rises above the black sands of Mýrdalssandur and offers good views towards Vestmannaeyjar. It is believed that the hill was once surrounded by sea and was thus an island. You can still find the remains of the grave of Viking settler Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson, after whom the mountain is named. He was the brother-in-law of Iceland's first Norse settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, and was killed by his Irish slaves.
There's a black-sand dirt road running the whole way around the mountain (watch out for deep sand along here if circling it; 4WDs only), and a large cave on the southern side you can walk inside.