Iceland - Gullfoss

 The last day in Iceland, 15 December 2016, was the second part of the "must see" sights in Iceland and the featured "Golden Circle" tourist circuit.

 On the way from Selfoss a closer view of illuminated and geothermal heated glass houses showing up well in the morning twilight.

Further up the road crossing the river from the Gullfoss waterfall, in a rocky gorge.

 Arriving at the Gullfoss waterfall these glacier touring trucks, fitted with bus bodies, were parked at the back of the parking lot.

Fortunately not too many tour coaches.

 It was blowing a gale with a fine spray from the waterfall reaching up to the parking area.

 If by chance the cold and wind is too much the latest cold protection fashion is available at the very well appointed large store on the edge of the park.

Not only like a main street store leading to the entrance but also a large cafe with a view to the waterfall.

While the warmth of the store was very attractive a much closer view of the water fall was available.
A boardwalk lead around the high ground just to the left of the photograph or alternatively down steep steps onto the lower terrace and out to the small peninsular.

Either way it was into the teeth of a gale force wind.

 The falls drop down in two steps as can be seen in the view above.  The second stage seen here dropping directly into a deep gorge.  This can be better seen from the lower access track as viewed here and sheltered from the worst of the wind so no water spots on the camera lens.

Due to wind and spray it was difficult to get clear photographs.  This gives a good perspective of the way the river drops through the falls from the volcanic plateau into the deep ravine.  The pathway from the lower car-park can be seen leading down to the lower level from the left and ends on the rocky peninsular jutting out at the falls.

 On road 35 back to Selfoss, a distance of about 50km there are pockets of good grazing land as well as the glasshouses seen  on the way out.

 Even the picturesque cloud did not brighten some desolate looking landscape.

 What may looks an attractive cottage at the foot of a hill near to Selfoss.  Take note of the large split rock just above it...

 ...indicates a violent past on the hill.

 Here a full view of the hill.  Is this insurable?

 The last leg of the ring road trip around Iceland joined up at Hveragerd shortly after passing Selfoss and we continued around the south coast, and from Grindavik the short route north to Keflavik, where the International airport is located at the west end of Reyjanes Peninsular.

It was twilight but a good road over the old lava flow.
At Keflavik it was goodbye to our trusty studded tired 4WD  SUV where the rental company took us to our downtown accommodation just 5 minutes from the airport.  It was dark, it had seemed a long day by the time we walked one block to a spacious restaurant.  Why was it empty? As we were seated a glance at the clock revealed  it was only 5pm, this was latitude 64N and it was almost the shortest day of the year where the sun barely leaves the horizon.  It was a 5am start next morning to the airport.

Selfoss and Pingvellir

Beginning the Golden Circle of Iceland.

If on a short stay in Iceland the area east of Reykjavik, known as the Golden Circle, is where many natural features can be found and is where the major tour operators are based, and as we found even in winter a constant stream of large tour buses rotating through the high spots.  As we made our way along the south coast the town of Selfoss was our base for the Golden Circle and it avoided the drive in and out of a city.

 A short distance north out of Selfoss we came across this sign. With Iceland having abundant electricity generation from renewable resources it was worth the visit.

Located almost roadside this was the view from a very tidy car park close to a visitor entry door.

Inside there was a spacious display area and a model of Iceland's electricity systems. Large windows gave this view down onto the three water powered turbines.  One generating over 6mw and two smaller ones 4.2mw each.

This information panel inside the the entrance gives a brief history of hydro-power.  The area north of Selfoss is a mass of wetlands, small lakes and streams which are seen on travels to the various tourist high spots in the Golden Circle.

The power station is a very tidy installation built in the same era as the Waitaki power station in New Zealand and on a river system.

Towards the head of the lakes and rivers is where the earth parts.  Pingvellir National Park and UNESCO World Heritage site.

The central rift has a boardwalk linked to tracks from the a series of small car-parks and the park visitor centre.

Just keep walking, for at one end is a small but spectacular waterfall...

 ...crashing onto rocks...

...then draining into a small swift river.

It attracts tourists and photographers even in the winter.

The main pathway is about 1km but well worth the walk.

 Towards the upper end it narrows as the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates move apart between 1mm & 18mm per year.  Best not to be in this section when a rock lets go.

 During the walk many interesting rock piles and columns (left above Kath) are revealed.

 Some precariously balanced.

Others appear undisturbed for many years allowing vegetation to grow.

 The wall of rock winds its way along the major rift where a deep rut is visible at its base.

 Another rock pile near the path is well covered by low spreading plants.

Even some near the wall of the fissure.

It is not just one major rupture but many subsidiary cracks in the earth surface as shown here adjacent to the main opening.  The column shown above now looks even more unstable when the fractures either side are revealed.

Thick rock columns that have not moved for a very long time have been clothed in a cushion plant, like an Icelandic woolen hat.

 Even a cloak of cushion plant as the track nears the plateau surface.

Another rocky pillar.

 Then the flat plateau is reached.

The path from the NP Visitor Center to the head of the large rupture.  This cairn may have been part of a historic route that leads to what is now the tourist walking route.  These cairns are protected and must not be tampered with.

 A closer look at the surface rocks.

Some having solidified without fractures upon cooling..

With these large cracks walking across such a flat looking surface in the dark or in snow is not advisable.

 A friendly Ptarmagin in its winter plumage bids us farewell.

Dusk is approaching on the return to Selfoss in preparation for the second part of the Golden Circle next day.

In Selfoss a larger and more modern church and hall beside the river,  across the road from our accommodation.

 Selfoss in the evening with the Ring Road (SH1) bridge leading west (left) toward Reykjavik less than an hour away.

 A small cemetery plot over looking the river with the west bank in the distance.

The main cemetery nearby behind the church illuminated as is usually the case.
The next day will be the second part of the Golden Circle and the last day in Iceland.