The construction of a new road in Iceland had to be halted recently when local campaigners warned it would disturb elves living in its path. Work was stopped until a solution could be found to the potential problem.

The Icelandic Highways department point out that while individuals within the department did not admit in believing in elves, even though the map for the new road included two circled areas, one labeled ‘elf church’ and the other ‘Elf Chapel’.

The work on the highway to link the Alftanes peninsula to the Reykjavik suburb of Grdabaer was held up when it was pointed out it would disturb elf habitat and a protected area of untouched lava. The ‘elf church’ appears to the non-believer to simply be a 12-foot high piece of jagged rock.

However, recent surveys have suggested than more than half of Icelanders believe, or at the very least entertain the possibility of the Huldufolk, or hidden people. It should be pointed out that the elves of Iceland are not your Santa’s helpers that we see, but are very similar in appearance to you and me, they are simply invisible to the majority of people. They are described as being a peaceful race, but if treated with disrespect they are not slow about showing their darker side. They are numerous stories which have been told over the years of how elves are suspected to be behind breakdowns of equipment an accidents occurring on worksites, despite wearing the right equipment.

The people of Iceland are by no means uneducated but there is clearly a s strong believe and knowledge of local folklore and in such an imposing landscape it isn’t difficult to see a force greater than yourself. After all J.R.R Tolkien may have used this landscape himself as inspiration for Mordor itself, while writing The Lord of The Rings.

Construction on the road was started again after a local lady, who claims to be able to talk to the elves, acted as a mediator. The elves agreed to the road as long as their chapel was carefully moved and put elsewhere. The highways agency in charge hired a crane to move the 70 tonne rock, but will not reveal what cost this has added to the operation. Is this the best case of elf and safety gone mad or is there something more to i? I’ll let you decide. But if you are lucky enough to visit or work in this country remember as always that layering is the secret to keeping warm, especially in the winter, so pack the right clothes and start with a Regatta Baselayer, even the elves would appreciate that.