canyons

It was closed for tourists this spring after Justin Bieber had made a video there and his fans trampled over all of the nature. Now it’s open but the sign says that it’s not allowed anymore to walk in the bottom of it. What a shame. Canyons often look more impressive from below. This is also the kind of place where you have to make way between Chinese and Germans who are wearing tights. Not that people have come here without a reason. The canyon is worth a look. One just has to watch out not to walk into selfies. The trail is short and it rains so I soon go to read in the car.

It seems that rain is not going to stop. I drive back to Kirkjubæjaklaustur. There‘s supposed to be coffee in the tourist information booth. There‘s also information. Although I planned to have coffee and read and then walk the short trail that starts at the campsite I ask how is the road towards Langisjór or long lake. Should be fine. Since I have nothing better to do and the information booth is not a place to read and drink coffee for a few hours so I og to have a look if the lake is visible through the clouds. Half way there I realise that the lake is further away than I thought and I don‘t have enough fuel to get there and back. Unsufficient preparation. The landscape that I can see between rain drops is still stunning and I decide to drive as far as possible so that I would reach back to the gas station and just walk along the road or something. I reach a place when road goes through river. I have a look and drive into the river. Adrenaline is higher on the other shore but nothing terrible happens.

I notice a hiking trail that goes towards small waterfalls. The trail goes along the river, river passes some tunnels that lava has made. Awesome. The whole landscape has been torn apart and then covered with moss. If one could save the energy that pierces earth like that. The place is called Eldgjá and a volcano erupted here in the year 934. It was the bigger eruption in the world during last millennium.

I come to a parking lot from where new trails starts. One could spend many days here. I walk until a waterfall called Óræfafoss and back from the upper ridge of the canyon. The water falls in two parts over the ridge. It is much cooler than Seljalandsfoss or Skógafoss, I have to admit. I don’t know how it looks with sunshine but with clouds it is cool. Going up the cloud covers part of the view and everything looks even dreamier. No people here for some reason. A few cars past me on my way here and on the trail I met one family and two couples during three hours.

The way back somehow goes faster. It is clearing up over the sea. I take my flask full of coffee in the gas station and go to write memoirs.