Iceland – Hjálparfoss in Winter


Wasserfall Hjálparfoss zwischen dunklen Lavafelsen im Schnee

In the flurries of snow we made it from Flúðir to the Hjálparfoss reasonably well. After a good kilometre on foot through fresh snow we stood in front of the waterfall – somehow small and cute.

Basalt and snow

In summer, without snow, the setting would surely be even more impressive, but the basalt rocks all around made the view beautiful even so. The Hjálparfoss lies around 30 kilometres east of Flúðir in the lava fields north of Hekla, where the Fossá flows into the Þjórsá; just downstream stands Iceland’s second-largest hydroelectric power station. The photo stop stayed short, because a few kilometres further on the road was completely snowed in. So we turned round and went on to the next stop: the Seljalandsfoss on the Ring Road.

Hjálparfoss in winter between dark lava rocks in black and white
Hjálparfoss in winter between dark lava rocks – small and sweet.
Basalt rock with columnar structure above the river at the Hjálparfoss
A basalt rock with columnar structure above the river.
Basalt columns at the Hjálparfoss, close up
Basalt columns up close, like honeycomb.
Dark basalt wall next to the river in the snow at the Hjálparfoss
A dark basalt wall beside the river in the snow.
Channel of dark water through a snowy plain
A channel of dark water through the snowy plain.
Warning sign and footprints in the snow in front of a building in the highlands
A warning sign and footprints in the snow – staff only.
Low building on the horizon of the snowy plain
A low building on the horizon – a large hydroelectric plant stands downstream.

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