The most popular route in Iceland (understandably for it’s ease of travel and abundance of cool shit to look at) is the “Golden Circle” which is a road loop of a day trip from Reykjavik. It was (and I was told almost always is) a constant crawl of tour buses, with every site covered with roaming hordes of multi-coloured, unnecessary Gore-Tex. Don’t let the crowds stop you – this is a circuit worth the short trip.
After a day of settling into the hostel and getting acclimatized from our 30 degree summer in Vancouver to the 12 degree summer we landed in, we decided to to ease ourselves into the countryside with a foray into the road most traveled. It may be typical, but it was a resonant introduction to the landscapes of Iceland.
Gullfoss is a waterfall on the river Hvítá, and is rich in sediment. It’s name translates to “golden falls,” and although the water looked quite clear to me, we were assured it often takes on a strong golden colour.
The waters of Gullfoss originate from the Lángjökull glacier approximately 40km away. Have a look at the colourful people on the left for a scale reference. (Clicky to enlarge.)
Even as we were close enough to Gullfoss to run through the rain of mist it exhales, the water appears to drop off into nowhere, and it’s not until you reach the base that you can watch the water flow from a gentle riverbed to a deep dissection from walls of textured stone.
The water disappears and crashes into itself below.
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