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There are several waterfalls in Iceland, but the most popular for tourists is the Gullfass, or the Golden Falls. It is one of the places that the Golden Circle tour visits. If you are traveling on your own, plan a few hours to get to see it.

In this land of surprising beauty, the waterfalls of Iceland are as exceptional as the rest of the landscape and Gullfoss is the most breathtaking of them all.

The Golden Circle tour bus stops on a high overlook. The roar of the falls fills the air, but that is the only hint of what awaits as you stand on the top of Gullfossgjúfur - the canyon carved by glacial outbursts centuries earlier.

Fire and ice often battle on the Icelandic landscape. Glaciers sit on top of volcanic openings. When a volcano erupts beneath a glacier, the melting ice is trapped and the volcanic mountain that is formed remains flat on top. Many of these strange glacial mountains can be seen in Iceland. The confined water eventually makes its way out of the prison of ice and pours in flooding torrents across the country side. This eternal, elemental conflict is the source of Iceland's waterways. The results are often beautiful but stunningly improbable landscapes.

The river Hvítá rushed from its glacial birth place and found the weak spots in the lava that cradled it. Over the course of many years, the water forced a path through the yielding rock. That path includes the 105 foot (32 meters) drop of the Gullfass and the 70 meters deep, 2.5 kilometers long Gullfass Canyon.

With its double-cascade drop and canyon channel, Gullfoss is Europe’s most powerful waterfall. In the 20th century it narrowly escaped becoming a hydro-electric plant. Our tour guide told the story of how Sigríður Tómasdóttir of Brattholt saved the falls from the clutches of an English power company.

Sigríður was born in 1874 and lived on her father's farm near the Gullfass. Most Icelanders have a personal relationship with their waterfalls that foreigners cannot comprehend. Sigríður's family was no exception. They are the ones who created the pathways that lead to the falls and loved to guide visitors to see the beauty of the falls and the surrounding area. Sigríður's father, Tómas, was offered 50.000 kronur to sell Gullfoss. His answer was, "I will not sell my friend."

When Sigríður found out about a plan to lease the powerful water she took action. This simple farm girl walked to Reykjavik on a pilgrimage to save the Gullfass for the Icelandic people. In desperation, she threatened to throw herself into the falls if the power plant was built.

With the help of her lawyer, Sveinn Björnsson (later the first president of Iceland), she created enough public outcry that the British investor abandoned the project and stopped making payments on the lease. Gullfass reverted back to the people and is now a protected area that will never be destroyed. After Sigríður died in 1957, the grateful citizens of Iceland commissioned a memorial by sculptor Ríkharður Jónsson which can be seen by visitors to Gullfoss.

After the brief history lesson, the tour descended down a long stone stairway for the first direct view of the immense Golden Falls. From the parking area the group could see the water cascading down the double falls of Gullfass and moving forward through the canyon. Gasps of awe greeted the sight, but this was just an appetizer.

The well worn paths that Sigríður and her sisters devised for visitors drew the group closer to the falls. It is hard to convey the size of this waterfall in pictures, but if you look closely, you can see a few colorful dots on the left edge of this picture. Those are people walking along the path.

The walkway ends on the brownish rocks overlooking the falls. The people standing there are too small to be seen in the picture. This waterfall is very, very big!

These pictures were taken in early April when the weather was beginning to warm. The path to the falls is a wonderful walk and visitors of all ages enjoy the ever changing views. It is narrow and quite steep in a few places. The guide ropes on the side are a lifesaver if a steep slope and an icy patch occur at the same time.

On warm sunny days, the mist surrounding the double cascades of the waterfall is lit with dozens of rainbows, filling the air and the valley below the falls with a spectacle of color and motion.

In the depth of winter the water hangs suspended in sheets of ice as it waits for the sun bring it back to life in the spring. If you plan a cold weather trip to the falls, be sure to dress for it. The winds and mist make a very cold combination.

The blue mountain, Bláfell, the highest peak in the region and glaciers form a backdrop for the falls at Gullfoss. Another bit of local lore tells of Bergþór Bláfellingur. Depending on the story teller, Bergthor was either a troll or one of the last remaining giants in Iceland. He lived alone on the mountain, but was kind to anyone that he met... as long as they didn't bother him. Bergthor was often seen by the locals as he came to town for shopping! On one trip he stopped at Bergstadur farm on the way back to his mountain cave and asked for a drink of water. While the farmer's wife fetched his drink, Bergthor tapped a nearby rock. This simple tap formed a tub-shaped depression in it. According to the legend, the whey made in this tub never freezes or get used up. You can stop at the farm and see this famous tub when you're in the area. Bergthor asked to be buried in the nearby cemetery of Haukadalur and the local population granted his wish.

As the group walked the path back from the falls to the waiting bus, there were many last pictures to take and moments of drinking in the beauty of the falls. The sun warmed the ground and the icy patches dissappeared, as jackets and gloves were shed. The light playing on the mists of Gullfoss was a beautiful farewell salute as the tour took off for the Geysir Hot Springs area, the next stop in the Golden Circle...

Iceland's National Parks & Protected Areas - Gullfass - The Environment and Food Agency of Iceland - UST Umhverfisstofnun - is the agency charged with protecting the resources of the land. The Gullfass section of their site includes information on the falls and local folklore such as Bergthór of Bláfell, the mountain man and Ólafur múður who kissed a giantess and disappeared into the hidden world...

Our Beautiful World - Gullfass, Iceland - The story of the falls including the surrounding countryside. There is infomation on Gullfossgjúfur - the canyon, Hvítá - the river and the Heiðarland - Heathland that surrounds the falls. Along with the many pictures, this site has a good rendition of the story of how Sigríður Tómasdóttir of Brattholt saved the falls from being turned into a hydroelectric plant...

Gullfoss - The Golden Waterfall - Virtually Virtual Iceland is a bit short on information about the waterfall, but the pictures are great!

Gullfoss, Iceland - Nothing here but an amazing 45 picture slide show of Gullfoss. Good quality pictures almost capture the majesty of this waterfall.