waterfall | Tales from the Hutt

Fossarrett the Older (a waterfall on the side of the road)

Tuesday, 14-May-2024

My original plan for Tuesday the 14th was to soak in the hot springs at Hvammsvik… but, because of reasons, they decided that Tuesday the 14th was the best day to clean the hot springs all at once, and close the whole resort.

Which I learned, of course, after I’d arrived and found a large locked gate.

Whatever. I’m on a road trip, during an adventure across Europe. Large locked gates aren’t an obstacle, they’re merely a redirection! To a different hot spring! And a waterfall!

So I drove to Fossarrett the Older. It was pretty. Wandered a bit, flew the drone a bit, looked at the ancient ruins, tried (and failed) to find a history of said ancient ruins… Or find out if they even technically are ancient… and didn’t succeed.

But I did relax, I did stretch my legs, and I did have a good time. Which, after all, is very much the goal.

Saturday, 11-May-2024, and Sunday, 12-May-2024

My adventures brought me to a town I can’t pronounce.

Translated, the name means “Church Farm Cloister”, which is a very direct and simple description of the town – there’s a church, there’s a farm, and there’s a cloister. Or… there was, back when the name was picked. Or someone was describing it, and the other person thought that was the name? Man, I don’t understand people today, much less vikings.

And that’s a neat part! This town WASN’T founded by Vikings! At least, not entirely…. the cloister was founded by Irish Monks, who practiced and early form of Christianity back when Iceland was primarily following the Norse religion. It’s a beautiful down, snuggled into a valley with the standard huge soaring cliffs and cascading waterfalls that’re so common in Iceland.

Of interesting note – there’s two great restaurants, and Iceland’s tallest tree here.

Of also interesting note – There’s one of Iceland’s first hydro power generation facilities here! I can’t really call it a “generation plant”, since it’s approximately the size of my bedroom, but… very neat piece of previously-lost history, reclaimed by Icelandic artists.

Of further interesting note – Great hiking. We had a grand old time braving the rain and kicking around the trails around town, above town, and through town. Definitely worth the visit if you happen to be in the area!