Barnafoss (Reykholt)
(Bjarnafoss)
Barnafoss or Bjarnafoss is a waterfall in the river Hvítá í Borgarfirði (white river). The river has its source in the Lava Field Hallmundarhraun and is white because it is melting water from the glacier Langjökull and transports sediment that has a gray to light milky color.
Barnafoss is a small waterfall/rapid with a descend of 5 meters. The water squeezes itself through a narrow gorge with great power.
The waterfall is situated beween Reykholt and Húsafell, six kilometers west of Húsafell , along road r518. There is parking lot near the waterfall. Barnafoss is easy accessible and can be found upstream from the famous Hraunfossar, a natural phenomenon where the water falls into the river out of the lava stones.
Barnafoss means children’s fall and there is a saga about the Barnafoss: Two boys from a nearby farm Hraunsás had to stay home while the parents went to church. After a while when the get bored they decided to follow their parents. The way crossing the river was faster but on the bridge over the Barnafoss they fell into the water and drowned. When the parents heard the news, the mother put a spell on the bridge that everyone who crossed the bridge would drown. Unfortunately the bridge was destroyed because of an earthquake.
Another story is that the mother had the arch destroyed in order to ensure no one else faces a similar fate.
