Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.11.2018, Blaðsíða 48

48 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 20— 2018
One can begin to crave nature af-
ter one too many walks up and down
Laugavegur. On a recent autumn day,
our choice was to head to one of Ice-
land’s most astonishing sights—Hái-
foss, the majestic high falls, located
in a beautiful water carved gorge that
houses not just one, but two water-
falls—just around the corner from
Háifoss sits its handsome neighbour,
Granni. It’s a pretty great two for one
deal.
Located on the very edge of the
Highlands, just over a two hour drive
away from the big city, these two falls
originate in Fossá, the “waterfall riv-
er,” with meltwater from Hekla in its
cold blue veins.
Mind the car
There are a couple of options when it
comes to getting there. One is a 14 km
hike from Strönd—a reconstructed vi-
king settler manor—or a rough 7 km
drive to the front porch of the view-
ing spot. But be warned, while driv-
ing sounds easier, this gravel track is
a mosaic of deep potholes, boulders of
various sizes and sharp rocks. A rug-
ged 4x4 is not just advised, it’s a must.
You hear this a lot, where Icelandic na-
ture is considered, but don’t let that
fool you, the volcanic rock roads won’t
bend their ragged nature to suit your
car.
When you step out of your car, there
aren’t many signs giving away the
presence of the mighty water giant,
but you can feel it it in your nerves; the
vibration of the air, the charge of natu-
ral force setting the ground and ele-
ments into never ending motion. But
after just a few steps, the ground splits
open—a 100 metre drop appears, and
your gaze slides over a white stream of
water, foaming and cascading over the
black volcanic rock. Dazzling.
Common sense safety
net
The cliffs that wrap around the chasm
are over 2 million years old and have
no man made safety structures. The
only safety net is common sense. As
you marvel at the waterfalls and look
down to the very bottom of the valley,
vertigo creeps in; with bones of jelly
and a strange tickling at the back of
your head, you take half a step closer
to the edge—a thrill that makes your
heart skip a beat. Extreme care is nec-
essary, especially on windy days—the
cliff edges are just very old rocks. Make
sure to take the long way down to the
valley.
No pain no gain
From the first viewpoint, which shows
off Granni, you continue down the path
to the viewing spot for both waterfalls
and to stand across from Háifoss it-
self. On sunny days it’s not uncommon
to even have a rainbow striking a pose
for lucky spectators.
The onwards hike leads to the bot-
tom of the valley, to the foot of Háifoss.
It isn’t too long—just a 1.6 km round
trip—however there are some steep,
tricky gravel slopes. Make sure to wear
proper hiking shoes and take extra
caution on rainy or icy days, and take
into account that the way back will
steal your breath, but for quite differ-
ent reasons than the views.
Laces of water and rock
We’re also treated to gray, blue, black
and green colors that melt together
and draw sharp lines with sudden con-
trasts, forming into an effortless mas-
terpiece. That's the magic of hiking—
when you have the time to truly take in
the view, it reveals itself in more and
more mesmerising detail. Shaped by
the astounding and persistent force of
water, the solid rock walls of the gorge
look almost like they’re slowly moving,
with rounded curves, delicate layers
of soil, and basaltic formations lacing
together behind the waterfall.
At the end of the hike, you get to
stand at the very foot of the Háifoss
with your head thrown back, your eyes
closed, and the slow thunder of the
waterfall hitting your eardrums. I let
the nature soak into my tired limbs,
putting my ever-running thread of
concerns and thoughts to rest. I take a
deep breath and slowly exhale. Nature
is awesome.
Distance from
Reykjavík:
142 km
How to get there:
Route One past
Selfoss, then
Routes 30 and 32.
Note: closed in
winter.
Accommodation
provided by:
landmannahellir.is
Car provided by:
gocarrental.is
An Effortless
Masterpiece
The hidden beauty of Háifoss
Words : Signe Smala Photos: Art Bicnick
The beauty of the falls Glacial goodness A cross-section of geological history