Skogafoss

 (Photo Via Tumblr)

Located in the far north, only a hair shy of the Arctic Circle, lies the beautiful island nation of Iceland. As the name implies, this Nordic country is by no means warm and vegetative; it’s not exactly where you’d go to get a tan. But if glistening glaciers and tumbling waterfalls are what you seek, a trip up North might be what you need.

Iceland’s interior is dominated mainly by a landmass appropriately called the Highlands of Iceland. Rising about 400-500 meters above sea level and spanning a distance of over 7,000 square miles, it is the largest uninhabited territory in Northern Europe. The majority of its surface can be described as a volcanic desert, as the land is barren and marked with ash. However, on its southern edge, the rock and ice suddenly ends and flowing off its ancient cliffs is a magnificent waterfall called Skogafoss. At 25 feet wide and falling over a drop of nearly 200 feet down, this waterfall is one of the biggest in the country and is, without a doubt, its most beautiful.

The Highlands’ cliffs once formed Iceland’s coastline but over time, the sea slowly receded from its rocky base. The ocean now lies over 3 miles away and in it’s wake, it left a breathing-taking landscape of lush lowlands. It is into this region that the waterfall tumbles, misting the soft grasses with its never ending spray. On sunny days, a rainbow can almost always been seen in front of its falls. Legend has it that the one of the earliest viking settlers buried a chest of gold beneath in a cave behind Skogafoss; the shimmering waters and fantastic rainbows certainly have more than a few people believing that this is more than just folklore.

Winning the lotto is such a borrowing way to get rich. Scubbing diving to find an ancient treasure chest of gold behind one of the most incredible waterfalls in the world? Now that’s much more interesting.

Click through for more photo of the day posts

Have you been to Skogafoss?


LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here