Getting there is half the fun

Ireland

You probably know the vikings traveled far, but do you know how far? They sailed all across the Atlantic hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus ever did. They went deep into Russia, and onward down to Constantinople (Istanbul) where they served the Byzantian Emperor as bodyguards. In the settlement of Birka (Stockholm) they have even dug up a jade Buddha originating from China.


The Camp

Building Camp When traveling to markets and reenactment events we live days, sometimes weeks, in tents of the same make and model that were in use during the viking era. Under these circumstances we try to live as time typical as possible and learn as much as we can about viking era field conditions. We cook food over open fire, in pots and pans forged by hand, in a camp built only with equipment that existed in the viking period. We test and try out what can and can't be done with the equipment and gear, and learning from that we mold our experiences into practical solutions to problems the vikings must have encountered and solved as well, using the same things. Best part about it is that the camp gear gets better and better for each year.

The markets Elvegrimarne visit are mainly located in the Nordic countries, but we have dragged our camp gear as far as Poland, England and Normandy (in France). During these events we meet and exchange experiences with likeminded reenactors just as eager to recreate history. The interest for the viking period is very large in northern Europe and the markets and events grow bigger and more numerous each year.