Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Crossing the bridge across Lagarfljót on Rte 931, you'll reach the parking area for Hengi-
foss, Iceland's second-highest waterfall. The falls plummet 118m into a photogenic brown-
and-red-striped boulder-strewn gorge.
Getting to Hengifoss requires a return walk of one to two hours (2.5km each way).
From the car park, a long staircase leads up the hillside - Hengifoss is soon visible in the
distance. It's a steep climb in places but flattens out as you enter the canyon.
Halfway to Hengifoss is a smaller waterfall,
Lítlanesfoss
, surrounded by vertical basalt
columns in a honeycomb formation.
Skriðuklaustur
Skriðuklaustur
MUSEUM
(
www.skriduklaustur.is
;adult/child Ikr1000/free; 10am-6pm Jun-Aug, noon-5pm May & Sep)
Head south from Hengifoss waterfall for 5km to reach Skriðuklaustur, the photogenic site
of a 16th-century monastery and the home of an Icelandic author feted by the Third Reich.
The unusual black-and-white turf-roofed building was built in 1939 by Gunnar Gun-
narsson (1889-1975), and now holds a cultural centre dedicated to him. This prolific
writer achieved phenomenal popularity in Denmark and Germany - at the height of his
fame only Goethe outsold him.
The house also contains an interesting exhibition about the earlier Augustinian monas-
tery, demolished during the Reformation of 1550. Archaeological finds include bones in-
dicating that Skriðuklaustur was used as a hospice.
Klausturkaffi
CAFE
(
www.skriduklaustur.is
;Skriðuklaustur;lunch buffet adult/child Ikr2800/1400; 10am-6pm Jun-
Aug, noon-5pm May & Sep)
Klausturkaffi serves an impeccable lunch buffet showcasing local ingredients (seafood
soup, reindeer pie, brambleberry
skyr
cake). More tantalising, however, is every sweet-
tooth's dream: the brilliant all-you-can-eat cake buffet (adult/child Ikr1850/925) served
between 3pm and 5.30pm.
