Overview
About Hraunfossar
Water emerging from lava
The falls reveal underground drainage at the boundary of a lava field. Water that has travelled beneath the surface emerges as cold springs, then flows over short ledges and rapids into the river. The resulting line of separate cascades gives Hraunfossar its distinctive appearance. Its Icelandic name is commonly translated as Lava Falls, describing the relationship between the springs and surrounding rock.
A protected river landscape
Hraunfossar received natural-monument protection in 1987. The protected area covers 36.1 hectares and includes a river landscape whose nearby features help explain erosion as well as groundwater flow. Barnafoss lies just upstream, where the river has shaped rock arches and bridge-like formations. Together, the sites show water emerging from volcanic terrain and cutting through the rock of its receiving channel.
Article reviewed .
