Epic Travel → Europe → Iceland → West Iceland → Barnafoss

Location: Borgarfjörður district, West Iceland

Time Required: 15 – 30 minutes

Red Tape/Notes: None

What’s Nearby?: Hraunfossar, Húsafell Geothermal Pools, Hallmundarhraun, Víðgelmir, Surtshellir, Stefánshellir, Deildartunguhver, Snorralaug

Totally different from neighboring Hraunfossar, Barnafoss is more of a series of rapids than a waterfall. The Hvítá River is forced through a narrow-walled canyon, creating a violent, churning mass of water that eventually emerges in the much calmer section of river where Hraunfossar comes in. There’s a rather depressing story associated with Barnafoss (which means children’s waterfall) involving the death of two children while crossing a natural stone bridge that spanned the river, and how their mother then cursed the bridge, which was subsequently destroyed. There’s still a natural bridge across the river, but I don’t think anyone would attempt crossing it. Well, I’m sure someone would, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Epic Travel → Europe → Iceland →West Iceland → Barnafoss