hiking, climbing, marveling, enjoying

and and and :-)

The early sunlight wakes me up today just before four, and I grab the camera and my warming surf coat to capture a few clouds with a light morning glow. Then I quickly brew a cup of coffee, tidy up the storage media a bit, and slip back under the covers. About 2 hours later, the smell of coffee drifts into my nose - Moni is already busy in the kitchen.

We bring chairs and a stool for the coffee to the front of the house and sit down in our surf coats in the morning sun at 4-5°C. Mails for Mother's Day and various WhatsApp messages are flowing through the ether, and we discuss our plan for the day.

Today we will head further into the valley to see what lies behind the seemingly last upper crossing and up to the small waterfall of Hamarsá, which already attracted us with its stunning blue during our last short visit. If the water level allows, we want to cross the flow not only with our rubber boots but possibly also with the small Vitara.

Once arrived, the water level shows itself from its pleasant side, as it has become a bit colder in the mountains. Here in the valley, the temperature ranges between 3 and 8°C in the sun, and in sheltered spots, it can easily exceed 20°C.

We start on foot, cross the flow, and climb the steep, somewhat slippery gravel path to descend from the plateau towards the waterfall.

Upon arrival, the clear water impresses us, crashing down over the rocks. It's not very deep, but still powerful.

Around a rock, almost in the middle, the water flows so clearly that we can see deep into the river. This sight beats the views of Gullfoss and Seljalandsfoss by far.

This view captivates us almost magically, and the stone seems to spit air bubbles from time to time as the water swirls almost imperceptibly around its contours. We linger for a while, enjoying the sun-warmed rocks we sit and lie on.

On we go, upstream to the next hill - in the low gorge lies a clear river that swells before a step, allowing a glimpse into its depths before continuing to flow foamy and roaring.

One step higher, the river is so wide and deep that it resembles more of a lake in the gorge; we can see about 5-7 meters deep here as well.

The gorge has small caves occasionally on both sides, and across, we see a very large one, which can be easily accessed by kayak. The upper edge of the gorge is decorated with various pools; some small, while others easily accommodate 2 people. The only prerequisite is that you possess enough brown fat :-)

We continue exploring, reach and walk the wide sandbank, and spot the Veturhús about 1 km away, which is signposted directly on the slope opposite the crossing.

We follow the reindeer trails until we reach the path again and make our way back to the jeep.

How about a snack with coffee and Rúgbraud right here at the crossing? I decide to fetch the jeep to park it in a small meadow where there are still remnants of a campfire and traces of off-road tires; this spot pleases us as well.

The sun is being kind to us and shows itself from its best side; the clouds are racing across the sky, and it's hard to discern a direction.

We enjoy the sweet refreshment, the sound of rushing water, and are simply happy that we can experience this journey in such a way.

...    

YouTube 

https://youtu.be/vCCiIK7skEI?feature=shared