Iceland: South Coast Part 2 - Skógafoss to Vik

After departing Seljalandsfoss and the tourist-trap DC-3, we got back on the Ring Road and headed east to Skógafoss. Like the previous falls, Skógafoss originates in the highlands of Eyjafjallajökull (aya-fyat-ya-yo-kull) and Katla volcanoes. The former is the volcano that erupted in 2010 and crippled European air traffic. Our morning jaunt had been sunny and largely crowd-free but now we were mid-morning and got neither sun nor solitude. 

Skógafoss is an impressive silvery white curtain against a rugged black backdrop. Gulls nesting on the ledges around the falls dart in and out of the scene. Well-rounded stones litter the floor as crystal clear water makes its way to the ocean. It is possible to get some good shots of the falls without all the people. Most don’t make their way to the middle of the stream, so only a handful of adventurers get up close. 

Skógafoss

Get one for the ‘gram.

Misty flanks

The kids both thought it would be a good idea to take the trail up the steep flank of the mountainside to see the falls from the top. This is especially surprising since my eldest struggles with vertigo and oftentimes cannot fathom a single set of tall stairs, let alone this hike. But we are open and encouraging in their desires, so we set off up the stairs. The gravel and wood stairs ended and a set of rickety, rusted steel stairs wound its way up to the top. My legs were burning by about halfway through, but my youngest and I reached the top after some effort. That trek was a real obstacle for my vertigo-challenged child, but she too persevered and made it to the top. From there, the terrain is not nearly as steep. The trail heads into the highlands along the river and there are several more falls upstream. It was hard enough to get the kids up here, so we did not venture beyond. The trek down was as physically demanding as going up.

Lunch consisted of peanut butter sandwiches in the parking lot (I wasn’t about to be taken for another $200 for lunch here. I learned my lesson from Geysir.). We headed over to the Skogar Museum next door. The museum has several main exhibits that were equally fascinating: the folk museum had artifacts from various facets of Icelandic life, the outdoor museum had sod-covered houses and a traditional Icelandic village, and the Technology Museum had a wide array of gadgets, vehicles, instruments, and equipment needed on the island. I particularly liked the 2-yard rope shovel used for mining. It would fit nicely in the bucket of the 38-yard shovel that I rode with in a Nevada gold mine. The museum was a nice respite from the damp chill outside.

Detail of a 19th century headboard.

Traditional Sod House

Little.

Big.

We left Skogar in mid-afternoon and made our way to Sólheimajökull (soul-hey-ma-yokel) just down the road. The glacier extends from the Katla ice sheet like a long tongue, carving through the mountain. We walked about a mile to an overlook of the toe of the glacier. Signs to reach the glacier recommended a bunch of gear that we did not have and warned against hazards like falling ice, rocks, and oddly enough, quicksand. We did not venture any further. The sky got darker and the wind picked up as we headed up the road to Hotel Dyrholaey just outside of Vik. The rental car agency warned of strong winds in the country and to watch out when opening car doors. The car next to me in the lot at the hotel moved forward by several inches from the wind as I sat waiting for an opportunity to go into the lobby and claim our room.

Sólheimajökull

A buffet dinner of salted cod, lamb, and more traditional Icelandic dishes washed down with an Einstӧk lager warmed us up before we headed down to the famous Reynisfjara (ray-nis-fyar-uh) black sand beach. By now the wind had really picked up and was reading a steady 25 mph with gusts over 40. Reynisfjara has some outstanding examples of the hexagonal columns formed by the cooling of lava. During my college days, I led a group of young intrepid geologists on a tour of the basalts of northern New Jersey to see the same features. My wife, although not a geologist, was among the group. I can’t tell you how thrilled she was to be dragged along on this trip to see more columnar joints.

Columnar joints

Puffin taking shelter

Reynisfjara is also famous for sneaker waves up to 6-feet high that roll in suddenly, but the tide was low while we were there. A warning sign was still flashing yellow at the entrance to the beach. From the corner of my eye, I caught some gulls landing on nests along the cliffs above the sea caves and, to my great delight, some puffins! Puffins were very high on my list to see, mainly for a page in our upcoming 2026 calendar. However, strong winds and rain make for poor shooting conditions and I was only able to snag two or three before we had to retreat. The wind was now casting sand through the air which is neither good for little humans nor for my big lens. The weather won out.