River Svarfaðardalsá has its source on Heljardalsheiði, an ancient route between Skagafjörður and Eyjafjörður. It is a typical rain fed river, cold with variable water levels and often glacial in the summer. Numerous tributaries join Svarfaðardalsá and the main one is Skíðadalsá, which is also a fishing river. These are basically sea char rivers, but there are considerable numbers of brown trout in the lower areas. The fishing area is about 35 km, divided into 5 beats each with two rods. The most popular time is the first two weeks in August, as then the char migration is usually at its peak. It can be great fun fishing for sea char in Svarfaðardalsá and then there is the pleasant surprise of trout fishing. Half days are sold on the river. The average catch over the last 10 years is about 630 char, but this is likely to be an underestimate.