Looking for some Hidden Gems in Iceland (Photo album) . Get off the beaten path by visiting Hraunfossar & Barnafoss waterfalls, a quick day trip from Reykjavik! |
Video of the falls
ttt Life With a View. My favorite part of traveling is Going to places that are off the beaten path! Don’t get me wrong,
places like Golden circle Geysir and Skogafoss are definitely sights worth seeing, but there’s something special about being the only one around in the middle of pure Icelandic nature!
I had my eye on these beautiful waterfalls for a while, so I was excited to finally see them in person! More so to when the colors of the foliage has made their presence.
When I first saw Hraunfossar((translates to “Lava waterfalls”) it was everything I had imagined, but BETTER. We have been to many wonderful falls in Iceland and even on the planet including the Iguassu falls and Victoria falls. Dynjandi in west fjord ranked as the most beautiful waterfall in the Iceland, however for me this was the ultimate waterfall, A long wall of water cascading over moss covered lava, falling into bright turquoise water!
I too thought that turquoise water in pictures is some effect of filter or photo post processing. No, water is naturally turquoise.
The water falls into the Hvitá River – downstream from Gullfoss waterfall! I love the look of this river, bright water carved out between sharp lava walls.
If it’s a clear day you can see the Langjökull glacier in the background.
After you cross the bridge you will see Barnafoss on your left. Barnafoss translates to “children´s waterfall” and has a
Icelandic legend that goes along with it:
A woman and her two children were living on a nearby farm. The woman went to church service, leaving the kids at home. When she came back,
the children were missing. People searched for the children and found footsteps up to the stone arch over the river.
Devastated at her loss, the mother had the stone arch destroyed so no children could cross the falls again.
The fury of the torrent is so highm no one can dare to cross the fall anyway !
Beautiful and interesting story at the end!
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