Hraunfossar & Barnafoss
Hraunfossar og Barnafoss
Hraunfossar is a series of small waterfalls streaming for about 900 metres out of the Hallmundarhraun lava field directly into the glacial Hvítá river in Borgarfjörður, near Húsafell and Reykholt. A short walk upstream lies Barnafoss ('waterfall of the children'), a narrower, more turbulent cascade over a natural rock bridge.
Region
West Iceland
Coordinates
64.7019° N, 20.9781° W
Plan the stop
- Allow
- 45 min
Accessibility
- Wheelchair · Partial
- The main viewing platform is paved and wheelchair accessible just a short, level walk from the parking lot, though extending along the walkway to further viewpoints involves some stairs and uneven ground.
- Limited mobility · Partial
- Main views are close to parking, while the extended path to Barnafoss involves uneven sections.
- Sensory · Full
- Generally calmer than large falls, with moderate water noise and open-air exposure.
- Cognitive · Full
- A simple linear viewpoint layout with clear railings and short routes.
Why it matters
The lava field feeding Hraunfossar erupted from a volcanic fissure beneath Langjökull glacier centuries ago, with the clear spring water filtering visibly through the porous rock. Barnafoss is named for a local legend in which two children from a nearby farm drowned after falling from a natural stone arch while crossing the river, after which their grieving mother reportedly had the arch destroyed.