Where is Aldeyjarfoss and how high is it?

Aldeyjarfoss sits on the Skjalfandafljot river in the northern highlands, between Akureyri and Lake Myvatn, about 40 km (25 miles) south of Highway 1 - which already puts it inside the interior. The falls are 20 meters (about 65 feet) high, quite low by Icelandic standards.

Do you need a 4x4 to reach Aldeyjarfoss?

Not to reach the area: Aldeyjarfoss lies at the northern end of the F26, about 3 km (2 miles) from the point where the road turns into ordinary gravel road 842 towards Godafoss and Highway 1. The last stretch to the parking lot, however, climbs a steep driveway that gets very slippery in rain, and that part is for four-wheel drive only. Without such a car, park before the driveway and walk the last 500-800 m (0.3-0.5 mi).

Why are the basalt columns at Aldeyjarfoss so regular?

They look carved, but the shape comes from the way the lava moved, which let it cool evenly throughout - that produces the hexagonal columns. Similar columns can be seen at Reynisfjara, Svartifoss, Litlanesfoss and Borgarvirki, although they are rare outside Iceland. What makes Aldeyjarfoss unusual is their color: sulfur and iron have tinted some of the columns yellow and red instead of the usual black and gray.

Is the shortcut from Myvatn along road 8819 worth taking?

Rarely. Road 8819, Myvatnsheidarvegur, connects road 843 with Highway 1 near Myvatn, but it is about 60 km (37 miles) long, so barely shorter than the route through Fossholl, slower because of the surface, and it bypasses Godafoss. It is a route for a car with high clearance and four-wheel drive, in dry weather, and it is worth asking locals about the current state of the road first.

When can you visit Aldeyjarfoss?

In summer and early autumn. The waterfall is already inside the interior, so snow lingers there: in early May 2023 a reader found the road frozen over some 1 km (0.6 mi) before the parking lot and had to walk about 2 km (1.2 mi) to the falls. Check the road on umferdin.is before you set off.

Artur Więckowski | Rumbo Mundo

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