During the time of the Vikings and long after, the only way to travel around Scandinavia was by boat. Thick forests or high mountains made overland travel extremely difficult if not impossible. Thus, Viking Age settlements tended to be around coastal areas. Indeed, the most popularly accepted explanation for the word “Viking”, is that it comes from the Norse word, “vik” which means “bay”.  They were people who lived around bays with good access to the sea.

Consider therefore my confusion whil...