Iceland Day 2, Adventuring North - Part 2
Our full-day agenda included a visit to Hraunfossar and Barnafossar for waterfall gazing, then some soaking in the soothing Icelandic hot pools. After a magnificent hike to start our day, we were confident in our adventure-making skills, so we knew our chosen lunch stop would offer an experience worth the effort.
The hunger from our previous excursion took over, so we identified a spot to pull over and make sandwiches for a picnic. The unassuming turn-off into the village of Reykholt attracted our attention as the steeple of Reykholtskirkja rose from behind the leafless grove of deciduous trees that lined the hillside.
Tuesday, October 31
We pulled up to the church a little past 3pm, and the wind ripped across the open fields at blistering speeds, so a picnic in the car was going to be the best bet, but after a long drive we needed to use the facilities. Bundling up in coats, scarves, hats and gloves, we left the comfort of the Range Rover for the almost-freezing, whirling gusts that forced the five flags out front of the church to violently clank against the the poles, repeatedly.
Happy Halloween!
Our exploration of this desolate little town included an old church with adjacent cemetery, multiple hot springs-fed pools, and a wandering trail through the woods.
Snorri’s Pool
Snorri Sturluson (1179 - 1241 A.D.) was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician who settled in Reykholt as manager of an estate. A statue of Snorri Sturluson, by Gustav Vigeland, is located at Reykholt outside of Snorrastofa Cultural Research Centre. The Norwegian Government donated the statue to the Icelandic nation in 1947, but the research centre was not established until 1988.
The property houses a library that is attached to the church above the visitors center.
Exploring the area around Reykholtskirkja and Snorrastofa Reykholt, we stumbled upon a path through the forested hillside that took us back in time:
