On our way to Skaftafell, we drove past an area with beautiful scenery. We decided to make a short stop here to find out more about this area.
Both Skeiðarárjökull and another glacier, Svinafellsjökull, were visible in the far distance, offering stunning views.
Time for some photo taking! Say "cheese".......... :-)
Other than the superb view of the glacier, there is actually a monument of Skeiðará Bridge that was destroyed by glacial floods many years back.
In 1996, the volcano Vatnajökull, which sat beneath Skeiðarárjökull, erupted, melting portions of glacier and creating massive floods. While the girder bridge was built to withstand a hefty amount of flood waters, there was no preparing for the house-sized icebergs that the floods washed down the plain. A number of these glacial shards crashed into the bridge, wiping it out and creating a gap in the main ring road around Iceland.
All that remains of the original bridge today are two twisted girders by the side of the new road. They form a unique monument to the lovely but powerful beauty of Iceland’s natural landscape.
After we were done admiring the beautiful scenery, we proceeded to Skaftafell Visitor Centre, which is not too far away. My original plan was to take the hiking trail to visit Svartifoss. However, after realizing that it will take 2-3 hours for a return trip, and with the light rain at that time, we decided to give it a miss.
For those curious about how Svartifoss looks like, here is a picture of it on the information board. :-P
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