Hraunfossar and Barnafoss

Hraunfossar is the far point of the inland Borgarfjörður loop and the reason to take it. From Borgarnes, route 50 and then 518 run up the valley past Reykholt to the falls; the Environment Agency's page, read today, puts the drive at "approx. 45 minutes". It is a dead end for 2wd cars in all but high summer, when the Kaldidalur track continues south to Þingvellir, so most plans come back the same way and the detour costs about two hours of the day.

The stop itself is short. The agency says "There are good hiking trails in the area that are well marked, and viewpoints are clearly defined", and wheelchair access is good in parts; the loop from the car park past Hraunfossar to the Barnafoss bridge and back is half an hour. Quiet early and late; mid-afternoon in summer brings the Reykjavík day-trip coaches.

The practical line, from the same page: "Toilet facilities are available, as is an information sign on the main sites of interest in the area." A café and shop sit above the car park. No official page reached today states a parking fee, so the band is left as "check". No fuel; Reykholt has a small station and Borgarnes the real one.

Safety and rules: Hraunfossar "was protected as a natural monument in 1987"; driving off-road or outside marked trails is prohibited, as is disturbing the formations. The Barnafoss gorge is unfenced in places and the river below is violent; stay behind the rails at the bridge.