Last Updated on June 24, 2019 by PowersToTravel
There are two beautiful waterfalls on the south coast east of Reykjavik and west of Vik: Seljalandsfoss, and Skógafoss. Seljalandsfoss is a ‘gentle’ veil of water flowing over the glacial headland. You can walk completely behind the falls and out the other side. It is very wet and misty, but the views are unique. From the parking lot you look towards the falls and towards the central massif which stops just miles from the ocean, leaving a narrow swatch of very arable land. From the falls you look across this flat plain to the North Atlantic Ocean in the distance.
This was our first encounter with the terrible flies. They swarm and dive-bomb into your eyes. I found I had to tie my sweat-jacket hood up over my chin and mouth, so that only my eyes were exposed, and then had to wear sunglasses to protect them. That was in late June. I returned with my husband in late May on a different journey of discovery and the area was fly-free.
Just down the road, Skógafoss presented an entirely different experience. While Seljalandsfoss, for all its power, gives the illusion of a veil, Skógafoss is a dynamo. It is approached from a campground, a large meadow. You can climb a steep path to the right of the falls, complete with wooden steps in sections. We climbed and climbed, and finally came out at the top. Being at the top was a bit traumatic for me. I am used to American safety standards – deck and railings. This top was a sloping wet grassy area with a muddy trail which reached to the edge of the 200 ft drop. My parents walked almost up to the very edge. I remained close to the path, thinking, ‘What the heck am I going to do if they fall off?’ They didn’t, thankfully.
Once back on level ground, I put on Mom’s bright red gortex jacket and then walked as close to the waterfall as I could. You can’t actually stand underneath, as there is a pool, but you can get very close, and as you get that close it is like listening to a freight train, and the spray is fantastic. So I just stood there, for all appearances under the waterfall, being the ‘model’ for Mom and Dad’s photography.
Both trips have been in spring and early summer, and the volume of water at the two waterfalls was tremendous. I wonder what they look like in the fall?
Diabetic Travel Tips
The same tip applies here as for all of Iceland – stock up on juices and snacks at the little grocery stores in the towns. There is nothing between the towns but farms. Closest town to Seljalandsfoss is Hvolsvollur to the north. Closest town to Skógafoss is Vik to the south.
Check out this article of mine too:
Iceland Travel Blog – Itinerary, Lessons Learned and Diabetic Tips
