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here is no (visible) river or stream that create the Hraunfossar waterfall. How is this possible?
Hraunfossar is characterized by its unusual geological structure. The name Barnafoss, on the other hand, is associated with rather unusual events of the past. This is a very interesting, although intimate, pair of waterfalls.
Hraunfossar – Iceland’s most interesting waterfall?
Hraunfossar is actually a group or series of waterfalls. That’s why its name is usually used in the plural – Hraunfossar, instead of Hraunfoss. Although it is not particularly tall, there is no denying its beauty, and it is certainly unusual, due to its unique structure.
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here is no (visible) river or stream that create the Hraunfossar waterfall. How is this possible?
The thing is that this waterfall is not formed by a stream flowing on the surface of the earth and falling from a rock step, as is usually the case. Here the waterfall is formed by underground groundwater, which just at this place, quite unusually, because in the middle of the ravine wall, flows to the surface. Also, the name of the waterfall comes from the fact that its water flows out from under, or from between, layers of lava. Hraunfossar means “lava waterfalls.” The picturesque cascades flow down the slope into the Hvítá River, a length of about 900 meters.
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he area of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss is a designated protected area since 1987.
The lava field through which Hraunfossar flows is the result of an eruption from one of the volcanoes underlying the nearby Langjökull glacier, the second largest glacier in Iceland.
Barnafoss – Children’s Waterfall
Barnafoss waterfall forms a cascade of several stages with a total height of 9 meters. It is very pretty and has an interesting structure, but in the reality of Iceland – well, it is an average, ordinary waterfall. What is interesting, however, is the legend associated with its name.
The name of Barnafoss waterfall literally means Children’s Waterfall. Associated with its origin is a legend about children whose parents supposedly left them at home when they themselves went to church for Christmas mass. Why the parents left the children at home – the legend does not explain. In any case, when the parents returned home, they did not find their children in the house. The footprints left by the children were said to have broken off on a damaged natural rock bridge just above this waterfall. The distraught parents thought the children had fallen into the waterfall, so the mother cast a spell on the bridge destroying it and collapsing it completely so that no one else would fall off it into the water.
Of course, another version states that natural rock bridges are vulnerable to earthquakes, which are common in Iceland, and collapse from completely natural causes….
How it really was – it’s hard to say 😉 but it is certainly interesting that the legend associated with this place does not mention anything about trolls, and this is a real rarity among Icelandic legends 🙂
Practical information
- The falls are located on road 518, north of Reykjavik, in the Kalmanstunga region, about 5 km west of the village of Husafell and 15 km east of Reykholt. When driving here, turn off Route 1 onto Route 50 and then 518, which is about 125 km and almost a 2-hour drive from Reykjavík.
- Both waterfalls are “served” by a common parking lot, at which there is also a restaurant and public pay toilets.
- The waterfalls can be viewed from vantage points, and Barnafoss can also be viewed from a bridge built over the waterfall (said to be spell-proof). The total length of the path to both waterfalls is about 500 m, so they are really close to each other and close to the parking lot.
Other attractions near Hraunfossar and Barnafoss
There are several other really “top” attractions near the waterfalls.
- First and foremost are Iceland’s largest lava caves – Vidgelmir – Iceland’s most popular cave and Surtshellir – great lava cave for free
- Slightly farther west, however, you will find Europe’s highest hot spring Deildartunguhver – the highest hot spring in Europe and the SPA Krauma
- A little further on – already on Road 1 – we can enter the small but very picturesque Grabrok – volcanic crater surrounded by houses
built right next to the center.
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he Kalmanstunga region is one of the interesting ideas for a day trip from Reykjavik.
