On the southern edge of Iceland, where the lowlands give way to the island’s rugged interior, Skógafoss marks a distinct line, once the very edge of the sea. These cliffs, now set back several kilometres from the current Atlantic coastline, stretch for hundreds of kilometres across the south, forming a striking border between flat farmland and the beginnings of the Highlands.
Skógafoss stands as one of the country’s most voluminous waterfalls, pouring over the old sea cliffs. The water drops nearly 60 metres, or 200 feet, in a shimmering curtain, with a breadth of about 25 metres (82 feet). Every sunny day, the heavy spray often paints single or double rainbows in the mist, a recurring spectacle shaped by the force of falling water.
The area is rich in lore as well as physical grandeur. A story is told that Þrasi Þórólfsson, named as the region’s first Viking settler, stashed a gold-filled chest in a hidden cave behind the crashing waters. Much later, the tale continues, locals managed to find the chest, but before they could retrieve it fully, it disappeared, leaving only its ring behind. That ring is now housed in a nearby museum, connecting the waterfall to the area’s historical memory.
Skógafoss is also a starting point for one of the country’s recognized trails. On its eastern side, a path rises toward the Fimmvörðuháls pass, lying between two significant glaciers: Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The journey descends on the far side to Þórsmörk, a woodland nature reserve, before joining the Laugavegur trekking route to Landmannalaugar. To reach the top of the falls themselves, a staircase of more than 500 steps traces the slope, granting changing views of surging water and surrounding landscapes.
In recent decades, the force and beauty of Skógafoss have provided a dramatic backdrop far beyond Iceland’s borders, not just in legend, but in popular culture. The waterfall has appeared in international films and TV series, including key scenes in the superhero movie “Thor: The Dark World” and the final season of “Game of Thrones.” It features in a Bollywood musical number, along with music videos for Justin Bieber and the Icelandic band Sólstafir. Even reality television in the Netherlands has made use of its powerful setting.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
