Have you ever seen the Netflix hit TV series entitled Vikings: Valhalla? We have too, and if you’re anything like us, you might be wondering if the famed land of Valhalla is a real place. Don’t click away just yet- we’ve done our research, and there are two unlikely places that will allow you to actually travel to Valhalla!
Ways You Can Travel to Valhalla
The Legend of Valhalla
Valhalla, the mythical land in the Norse tradition, is where heroes went after they died in battle. Located in Asgard, it is a majestic, enormous hall ruled over by the god Odin. The ceiling is made of fighting shields and the slain warriors’ feast on the fresh flesh of a wild boar.
Pretty hardcore, right? The boar is put to death daily only to be made whole again by the evening. They drink from the udders of a goat and they battle with each other every day for sport.
According to Norse legend, they will remain there until Doomsday, when 540 of them will emerge to fight with Odin against an army of the giants.
Well, that’s how the story goes anyway. In all actuality, it wasn’t giants that saw the end of the Norse era but the spread of Christianity. But have you ever wondered where Valhalla or Asgard is? You might be thinking it’s in Scandinavia, where the Norse religion spread from, and where the Vikings resided.
Those fearless warriors didn’t stay put though, did they? They took to their longboats and conquered everywhere they landed from Britain and Ireland all the way across the oceans to Canada. Believe it or not, there is evidence of a Viking settlement in Newfoundland.
Enough about history- let’s travel to Valhalla!
Ways to (Actually) Travel to Valhalla
Norse myths are woven into our collective cultural landscape. Most of us are aware of the lightning god Thor from Marvel’s wildly successful superhero movies.
However, the myths and the reality get woven into each other, and sometimes it is hard to unpick them. This can often leave people questioning: how can I travel to Valhalla?
You might be surprised to learn that you can travel to Valhalla by simply booking yourself a trip to The Emerald Isle. But wait, you might wonder what Vikings have to do with Ireland. How can it be the home of Norse mythology, when it is famously known for leprechauns and fairies?
It is all thanks to TV! Both the original Vikings series and its latest incarnation, Vikings: Valhalla, were shot in Ireland. While the stories are based in England, Denmark, and parts of the Mediterranean, the film locations are mostly further west in the land of shamrocks, banshees, and changelings.
Ireland: Land of Faries and Vikings?
Therefore, to travel to Valhalla, you must travel to Ireland. However, traveling to Ireland is an utter delight. The people are friendly, and the open spaces and sense of history and storytelling surround you wherever you go.
Ireland is also famous for its weather where the locals say you can experience four seasons within an hour.
So, if you are heading off there to travel to Valhalla, make sure to pack your cagoule, furry hat, and walking boots. As many of the locations are situated within County Wicklow, you might meet up with some faerie people while you are there too.
Most of the locations are less than an hour away from Dublin, so you can travel to Valhalla to learn about Viking history and take in the infamous ‘craic’ at the same time. We actually have a guide to traveling in Dublin, if you’re looking to travel to Valhalla and have fun at the same time!
If you cannot physically travel to Valhalla now, you can still take yourself on a Viking adventure from your own home when you visit UK slot sites and try out your luck on the Vikings Go To Valhalla game.
Travel to Valhalla by Visiting Production Locations
In Vikings: Valhalla the story talks of the warriors coming from a village in the Sound of Kattegat which seems to be located by a fjord in Southern Norway. Only it isn’t! The location of the settlement is actually Lough Tay, Ireland.
Situated within County Wicklow, the village was built here on the shoreline for the outside shots and then dismantled and moved to the indoor studios in Ballyhenry. To make the scenes convincing digital editing added snow, ice, and additional mountains to seem like rugged Scandinavian scenery.
Some locations to visit if you want to travel to Valhalla would be Blessington Lakes and County Wicklow which were used extensively as locations for the production. These locations are fantastic for sightseeing, so be sure to pack a camera with you!
Additionally, the scenes featuring the Norsemen in their longboats were mostly crafted here on these artificial lakes which cover 500 acres. They formed fifty years ago in the majestic Wicklow Mountains while other scenes were also shot at nearby Lough Dan.
Two Birds With One Stone: Learn About Viking and Irish Folklore
To travel to Valhalla, your Irish Viking journey may take you beyond County Wicklow and across to the other side of the country. Nun’s Beach in County Kerry has been used to emulate the scenes based in Northumberland.
Set alongside Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, it is a stunning place to visit. The beach lies below an old convent and gets its name from the inhabitants who used to bathe there. The beach is only accessible by boat or by a very steep path.
Furthermore, the nearby cliffs at Nine Daughter’s Hole are truly something special if you are looking to travel to Valhalla. Here, you come to a place where Viking history and Irish folklore intertwine. It is a geographical beauty, with its steep cliffs and shamrock-green grasses next to the ocean.
This is said to be the place where the daughters of the village chief fell in love with the Viking invaders and planned to run away with them. Their father, on finding out, threw them and their Vikings into the sea where they drowned. This is a real story that has lived throughout the ages.
To Conclude
As you can see, it was not only the Viking production teams who came to Ireland. The Vikings themselves were there too all those years ago and there are many places where you can dip your toes into some real Viking history among the Isles.
We remember the Vikings as fierce warmongers, but they were also traders and skilled metal workers as well as seafarers. Dublin, Wexford, Cork, and Limerick were all established by the Vikings as trading points with Europe and beyond. They, too, desired to travel to Valhalla, the legendary land.
You see, if you want to travel to Valhalla, all you have to do is take a trip over to Ireland! Not only can you learn about Viking history, but you can also learn about Irish folklore. You can learn about the mythical Valhalla and see where television producers filmed the real one too!
Ready to learn more? To watch Vikings: Valhalla, head over to Netflix where the current series is available. It’s a series you won’t want to miss!
