The route from Reykjavik and Pingvallam was interesting but not necessarily inspirational, but our first sighting of the only Rift Valley outside of Africa was truly amazing. We made better time than we’d imagined, and the sight of the edge of the North American continental plate was magnificent. Silhouetted intermittently along the edge were intrepid walkers, and we were drawn to a makeshift car park at the bottom of a stunning waterfall.
We parked up and trekked off in the direction of the water. It’s not a difficult walk, but you do need sensible shoes; otherwise, you’ll struggle with your foot-holes. First off, there’s a bit of a steep incline, some uneven steps, and then a level wooden walkway. It was from here that we got our first view of the water as it poured from the top of the cliff. It was fairly gushing forth, mist rising upwards as the water surge bounced off the rocks in its way. It was not a massive drop, but as we got nearer to the base the full power could be appreciated. But it was short-lived, because once this powerful drop had occurred, the water rejoined a very sedate stream that bubbled and gurgled its way downhill. How the power of water can change over a few hundred feet! We picked our way over the rocks and around the water to grab a few camera shots for the video. The Oxararfoss is impressive, and I’d recommend you take the time to potter round and enjoy this natural feature. From up here, there are some superb views over the rift valley, with lush fields in the foreground and snow-capped mountains in the far distance.
By the time we walked back down to the car, a small crowd had started to form, and dancers were practicing in the meadow. We presumed it was in preparation for the longest day, which was imminent.
Back on the main road, we head for the church in Pingvellir. It’s a pretty wooden church, worth popping into, with a tremendous view of the surrounding countryside. Access the balcony at the back of the church--it’s a hairy ascent via a makeshift ladder, but it offers an interesting view of the church. My wife said I shouldn’t have gone up there, but she couldn’t resist a look! The graveyard offers a fascinating glimpse into Icelandic history with some interesting grave "furniture" – wrought iron carved crosses at jaunty angles suggestive that these people were in positions of great authority and had been given prime positions with views across the picturesque river.
As we left the church and crossed over the marsh land that meets with the River Oxara we paused to view the variety of water fowls, geese and birds that inhabit these watery lowlands. The river flows aimlessly along the flatlands, and we consider that only a mile or so back down the river, it was gushing relentlessly over the Almannagji Ridge.