It was then on to Gullfoss, the spectacular Golden Waterfalls, created by the river Hvítá. Iceland's most famous waterfall tumbles 32m (105ft) into a steep-sided canyon, kicking up a sheer wall of spray. The spectacle depends on what the weather is like. On sunny days the spray creates shimmering rainbows over the gorge and Gullfoss can seem simply magical. On grey, drizzly days like this the falls retreat into the mist and can be slightly underwhelming. The site was once slated for sale to international bidders for hydroelectric development, but has since been purchased by the government and set aside as a national monument.
Above Gullfoss was a small visitor centre and a good café (snacks Ikr500-980), whose speciality was lamb soup. A tarmac path suitable for wheelchairs lead to a lookout over the falls, and a set of steps continued to the water.Read more
June 8, 2007 in Iceland ⋅ 11 °C