Day 4: 🥾 Hiking Canyons, Elf Cliffs, and Natural Hot Springs

 

Day 4: Hiking Canyons, Elf Cliffs, and Natural Hot Springs

You son of a midge!

When I woke up, I walked into the living room area to see Mikah and Ryan sleeping on the L-shaped couch.  

If you read my previous post, you learned that there are almost no bugs in Iceland.  However, the one that does exist gave us fits at our second AirBnB.  In Mikah and Ryan’s room, even with the radiator unplugged, it stayed too hot—unless they opened the window, which let in swarms of biting midges.

In their room, their choice was either to sleep in the uncomfortable heat or get eaten alive.

They decided the couch was a better third option.  Neither really complained - they said that they actually slept just fine on the couch.

In the Footsteps of Justin Bieber

We kicked off Day 4 with a 5 minute drive from Kirkjubæjarklaustur (a name I still can’t pronounce) to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon —(another  name I can’t pronounce)

Even in the early morning light, the canyon looked otherworldly—green cliffs plunging into narrow river valleys, mist curling like smoke across the top. It honestly felt like we had wandered into the set of Lord of the Rings. If elves were real - and 54% of Icelanders say they are - they definitely hang out here.

This was supposed to be a quick 10-minute in-and-out hike, but we quickly realized that this location was worth a bit more time.  The hike to the first viewing point was more challenging than we thought with a long uphill climb, but it was definitely worth the views. This was one of those places that I wished I had a drone to fly through with its super scenic cliffs on each side of the canyon.

Mikah told us that a Justin Bieber music video had been filmed in this spot. Interestingly, if you watch closely the video also includes other iconic Iceland locations including: the waterfall you can go behind (Seljalandsfoss), Justin skateboarding down a plane from a famous plane crash in Iceland, and the Biebs in his tightie-whities coming out of the glacial lagoon we visited on day 3.  Fan of Bieber or not, if you've got 4 extra minutes, I highly recommend you watch this video. It's pretty cool.

If we had more time, we could have hiked further and explored this area even more, but I knew we needed to save some of our energy for the big event of the day, hiking Dverghamrar, aka the “Dwarf Cliffs.” 

Hiking the Dwarf Cliffs

Legend says dwarves—or the ‘hidden people’—live in these eerie basalt columns, and standing there, it was easy to believe. The rocks rise up like pipe organs, tucked into a quiet field. The whole place was peaceful and strangely magical and serene.

Unlike most places we’d visited, this one was blissfully crowd-free.  With just two cars in the lot, we had the place practically to ourselves.

At the base of the hike there was what looked like a WC (Water Closet, what they call a toilet). Unfortunately, it was just being built and was not usable.  That was a bummer because several of us needed to go.  For those of you concerned about this while traveling, I would tell you that generally bathrooms are easy to find in Iceland, especially anywhere you pay for parking (which is everywhere).

There were lovely fields of lupine in bloom everywhere.

So we decided to drive a little further to see if there was one at a different parking lot.  We weren't sure what was going on there, but it appeared to be some big event.  They had set up multiple huge portable white tents on the black sand beach and in the other parking lot there were many rows of portapotties.  Unfortunately when we walked up to them a person came up to us and told us that they were not for our use.  

What was going on here? Possibly a wedding for someone rich and famous?  Maybe a movie set? A summer solstice festival? Justin Bieber back for a sequel? 

We never did find out.

While we were at this parking lot, we noticed what would have been one of the sights for our hike, the "Yoda Cave."

"Found my cave, you have."

Striking out with the WC, we drove back to the other parking lot to start the hike.  By the start of the path there was a cool Viking ship on its side.

This hike went up to the top of a promontory (remember that this is a raised bit of land that juts out into the ocean).  It was considered "a moderate" 2.2 mile loop and from Mikah's research on the AllTrails website.  

Many hikers recommended we hike it clockwise to get the steepest climb out of the way first. A sun-faded map at the start showed the path. 

Hiking pro tip: Always take a picture of the map. This may be your only guide if you get lost.

As expected, the first part of the hike was definitely steep, but it was also very pretty as we climbed through fields of lupine. I said to the group that we all need a good butt-kicking once and a while to keep us humble. This section certainly fit the bill.

After we accomplished the steepest section, we paused to catch our breath, slow our heart rate, and admire the view.  It was beautiful in all directions.

Rogan looks back toward the parking lot where we began.

As expected, we seemed to have this hike all to ourselves.  There was not another person in sight. We could just barely see cars moving along Ring Road, the main loop around this island country, far off in the distance.

As we gained elevation, there became less flowers and more rocks as we hiked through a deep channel that had formed on the path. The steep upward climbing was done, but we weren't to the top yet.

Some of us, me included, were fighting off blisters on our heels from all of the long uphill walking we had done.  We were constantly reminded of the wise words of Dalton from Roadhouse - "Pain don't hurt"

The hike leveled out for a bit and we enjoyed the views of the vast open plateau near the top of the promontory.

The big reward of this hike was to reach the site of a Viking grave.  As we continued to climb, we could barely see a structure at the peak ahead of us.

See that tiny structure at the top right?

We paused for a moment to try to capture some of the unusual bird calls on my Merlin app.  Of course, as soon as I took it out, they got quiet.  Stupid birds!

We were warming up so we started shedding some layers.

I also stopped to try to take a picture of this tiny wildflower. It was more cooperative than the birds.

Isn't it amazing how life can survive even in the harshest conditions?

The last section of the hike did its best to give us one last butt-kicking. 

Near the top, the terrain became steeper and rockier, but we were determined to see that Viking grave. The wind at the top also picked up to add to the challenge.

For the Viking history nerds out there...

We finally reached the site with a solemn bit of history - a Viking burial. Specifically, it’s said to be the grave of Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson, one of Iceland’s earliest settlers—and brother-in-law to Ingólfur Arnarson, who is widely considered the first permanent Norse settler of Iceland.

Not a bad view.

The story goes that Hjörleifur was betrayed and killed by his own Irish slaves, who then fled to the nearby Westman Islands. When Ingólfur found out, he pursued them, killed them, and later named the islands after this event—Vestmannaeyjar, or “Islands of the Westmen” (Westmen being a term for Irish at the time).

A faded wooden marked the grave

Today, a small rock cairn marks what is believed to be Hjörleifur’s final resting place. There are no big signs or visitor centers here—just the wind, the cliffs, and the sweeping view of Iceland’s southern coast. 

It’s a quiet, contemplative place, and honestly, it feels fitting for a Viking chieftain’s grave: remote, stark, and absolutely epic.

The rock cairn

Whether you’re into Norse history or just appreciate the poetic grandeur of standing atop a cliff where a Viking was laid to rest over a thousand years ago—this is a spot that makes you pause.

What went up, must go down.

As we were snapping pictures on this peak, we happened to notice some girls hiking our way about a half mile back.  Not wanting them to catch up with us too quickly, we decided to continue on.

As we went over the Viking burial hill, we now could see new views of the beaches and more of the ocean in the distance. You could just barely make out the basalt columns offshore of Reynisfjara black sand beach far off in the distance.  Just two days earlier, Ryan had proposed to Mikah on that very beach.

Can you spot the cliffs we had seen 2 days ago in the distance?

We hiked on further, now going on a steady downhill.  Eventually, we came to a neat outcropping of rocks with amazing views of the horizon.  I suggested that this might be a good spot to stop and enjoy our PB&J sandwiches and Pringles we had packed for the hike.  I also said that maybe we could let the girls hike past us so we could hike at our own pace.

The simple pleasure of a tasty sandwich when you have worked up an appetite can't be overstated.

For some reason, that moment on the rock with Jen and the kids really stands out. It was warm, cozy, and one of those rare times when we were all perfectly in sync, taking in something beautiful together.

As it turned out, the college-aged girls ended up catching up to us as we finished eating and then decided to enjoy the same area by laying in the grass.  So much for letting them pass us.  

We inferred they were American based on their clothing (someone had a Red Sox hat) and one of them asked me if I would take a picture of their group. I agree and I took pictures of them both on the rock and with the mountains and beach in the background.  They offered to take our pictures in the same spots as well.

This is probably my favorite picture from the trip.

We didn't talk too much with the girls, but we learned they were college friends from New Jersey and would be leaving Iceland the day after us.

It is always good to have young girls take your pictures - they are great at making you look good.

Since the girls were still taking a break, we decided to press on.  Eventually we could see an interesting structure on the path ahead.  Could these be homes of the elves these cliffs are famous for?

Everywhere we looked, the scenery was breathtaking.  The sun had come out and we were really enjoying this easy, downhill section of the hike.

We made it to what looked like the remnants of some of the walls a very old home. The girls continued hiking behind us.

 

Looking back up the trail toward the walls.

 

I was "relieved" to find a spot behind one of the walls that out of view of any onlookers. 

Shane investigates an ancient WC

The rest of the path had a couple diverging sections that eventually ended up in the same place.  Ryan serenades as he takes the "high road."

As we came to lower ground, more wildflowers appeared and it became less rocky.

We snapped a few nice pictures with the purple lupine in the background.

I guess this is my super hero hiker stance.

The newly engaged couple.  Aren't they adorable?

We followed the path and the road back to the car.  

We kept an eye out for obsidian and other interesting rocks along the roadside.  A few of our favorite found rocks may have made it into our suitcases.

It is believed that the first time a man shaved it was with a piece of obsidian like this.

We caught one last glimpse of the promontory we had just hiked - steep, impressive, and beautiful.

I think that later Ryan said this was his favorite thing we did on the trip.  It definitely holds a special place with me as well.

At this point, the plan was to get lunch in Vik and drive the rest of the way to the AirBnB in Selfoss.

Lunch at the Soup Company

We decided to eat lunch at the Soup Company in Vik.  The food was tasty and hit the spot after burning all of the calories on the hike. Ryan was adventurous and got the black bread bowl. I got a panini sandwich and Jen got the Nacho bowl. For a good hearty warm meal, we would recommend.

From Vík, we drove on to our next stop: the town of Selfoss, which would be our home base for the next two nights. It’s perfectly located for exploring Iceland’s Golden Circle, and our plan was to get up early and beat the tour buses rolling in from Reykjavík. That was the plan, anyway.

Our home for the next 2 days

Our apartment was ideal—just a short walk from the charming downtown and, even more importantly, directly across the street from a grocery store called Krambúðin. After days of remote hiking and spotty snacks, having food that close felt downright luxurious. The only downside? The apartment was on the third floor, which meant dragging our rock-laden suitcases up more stairs than our tired legs wanted to climb. But hey, third-floor perks include a pretty sweet view.

The perk of a third floor is a nice view.

The Krambúðin grocery turned out to be a nice surprise. Though it was only about the size of a Rite Aid, each aisle had helium balloons floating above—Bluey, SpongeBob, you name it. I asked one of the teens working there what the deal was, and he said it was for a festival, coming up in a few days. June 17 is Icelandic Independence Day. 

Iceland's Independence Day

Festivities begin with bell-ringing and official ceremonies at Austurvöllur square in Reykjavík. Parades follow, led by brass bands, Icelandic horse riders, and flag-bearing scouts. Celebrations continue with speeches (often delivered by the Fjallkonan—the “woman of the mountain”), outdoor concerts, street performances, family-friendly events, and you’ll even see people paint the flag on their faces. 

“The Lady of the Mountain,” is the national personification of Iceland—a poetic, symbolic figure who represents the spirit, strength, and beauty of the country.

The concept originated in the 19th century during Iceland’s independence movement, when poets and nationalists sought to personify Iceland in a way that honored its natural majesty and cultural resilience. Instead of choosing a king or warrior, they chose a woman, often seen as motherly and wise, to symbolize the land itself.

You go, Iceland! 🇮🇸

Back at the apartment, most of us were ready to hang right here.

The place itself was very nice.  The only thing it lacked was a bed for Rogan, but it did have a nice air mattress and a good space for him to sleep.  

By the time we unpacked a bit and set up our bed spaces, many of us starting getting comfy on the couch and playing games on our phones.  Most of us were feeling spent after our two big hikes.  It was still relatively early so I mentioned there was one last thing on the itinerary we could do if we were up for it or we could skip it.  It was a hike to Reykjadalur Hot Springs - a natural hot spring river.

It does look pretty fun.

The response from the group was lukewarm at best.  I think everyone was weighing how tired they were and how bad their blisters felt, vs. the once in a lifetime opportunity to lay in a geothermal heated river.  How far is it?  How hard is it? Mikah read the AllTrails reviews for the hike, and most people said it would take about 2 hours in all, and it was considered moderate to easy. Hmmm... didn't sound too bad.

Our most common response in situations like on the trip was, "Well, we're in Iceland. We may never come back so we might as well do it."  Rogan really did not want to go, and I didn't really want to go either, but when I asked Rogan if he wanted to stay in the apartment, he said no, that he would go with us. Okay, then.  I guess, we're going!

At this point, everyone changed into our bathing suits under our hiking clothes, packed some towels and a change of clothes and then headed toward the parking area for the hike to Reykjadalur Hot Springs.

Reykjadalur Hot Springs: The Hike That Tried to Break Us

Just so you know that everything on this trip wasn't all sunshine and lupine, I thought this hike totally sucked.  I regretted doing it within the first five minutes.  

The slope of the path was just steep enough to make you miserable.  Cold wind blew in our faces the entire time.  It was difficult enough that I was too hot in my coat and sweating, but if I unzipped it then the wind would hit me and I'd get cold again.  It was essentially uphill for 90% of the 1 hour and 10 minute hike to the river.  This was confusing to me because the river should be down in the valley, yet we were going up. What the hell?

The river valley is down, but we're hiking up.  This makes no sense.

I fully acknowledge that I was not in the right mindset for this hike.  Something about it punished my psyche.  The path would curl around the hills tricking you into believing that the end was "just around the next corner" over and over again.  Ryan and I were suffering with growing blisters on our heels that hurt worse when climbing up.  

Somehow, just naturally, our group became separated - Mikah, apparently the one with the most gas left in the tank, surged far ahead of us on her own.  Together, Ryan and I cursed and complained at each new hill to climb, while Jen and Rogan tried to keep each other motivated at the back.  Occasionally, Mikah (far ahead of us) would turn and wave at us to encourage us to continue on.  Had we been all together, I think we might have convinced her to quit.  If she had been hiking with us, we probably would’ve bailed. But there she was—our tiny motivational flag in the distance—so we kept going.

It’s a shame, really, because the hike was beautiful. Steam curled out of the earth in random places, and the hills glowed under the late-day sun. I just wasn’t in the mindset to appreciate it.

Eventually, we were looking for a wooden boardwalk—that was supposed to be the sign that we’d made it. After one final soul-crushing turn, I muttered to Ryan, “If that MF’ing boardwalk isn’t around this next corner, I’m F’ing turning around.”

Thankfully, it was.

Shivering in the cold wind, we undressed quickly and dipped into the water of the river.  We found a spot where the river was about chest-deep, eased in, and let the heat work on our sore legs. The water was a little murky, with moss and bits of grit floating by, but we didn’t care.

Other hikers were soaking nearby, some changing clothes with absolutely no regard for modesty. A few cracked open beers. It was weirdly festive for such a remote spot.

After 20 minutes or so, we figured we’d had the full experience. We changed back into dry clothes—awkwardly, but successfully—and began the return hike.

Compared to the way there, the way back was a breeze. It was all downhill, the wind was at our backs, and the vibe had shifted completely. We stayed together, joked around, and walked faster. The trail that had felt endless on the way in zipped by in under an hour.

Back in Selfoss, it was too late for restaurants, so we hit up the Krambúðin grocery store for three frozen pizzas. We took turns showering, ate, and crashed. Most of us were in bed by midnight… and yes, it was still totally bright outside.

One of our crew took this picture at 12:30 AM

Looking Back on Day 4

Day 4 was hands down the most physically demanding day of the trip—two hikes, each incredible in its own way, followed by that final “bonus” adventure to the hot springs. But it was also one of the most meaningful: layered with legend, history, natural wonder, and those quiet family moments you can’t plan for—like sharing PB&Js on a cliff, or helping each other laugh through a hike that just wouldn't quit.

Iceland doesn’t just give you beauty. Sometimes it makes you work for it. And somewhere between the uphill climbs, windburned cheeks, and PB&Js on a cliff, you realize—those moments you didn’t plan are often the ones that stick with you the most.

Tomorrow? We tackle the famous Golden Circle. But first—sleep, glorious sleep (hopefully without midges).

Read on:

Day 5: The Golden Circle – Geysers, Waterfalls, and Tectonic Plates