A farm buried by a volcano
Stöng, buried under Hekla's ash, rediscovered and excavated.
Chris 73 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · NOTE: This image is a panorama consisting of multiple frames that were merged or stitched in software. As a result, this image necessarily underwent some form of digital manipulation. These manipulati — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Syrio — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pavel Marianov — CC BY 2.0
A waterfall of about a hundred and twenty-two metres in the Þjórsárdalur valley on the edge of the southern highlands, dropping into a deep gorge beside a second fall called Granni. The sight is unusual: two waterfalls side by side dropping from the same rim into the same gorge, and the name Granni means the neighbour in Icelandic. Seeing them together from the upper rim is the image people come for. The valley around it carries historical weight: Þjórsárdalur was settled in the medieval period before an eruption of Hekla buried its farms under ash. The buried farm at Stöng was rediscovered and excavated, and a reconstruction was built nearby — among the clearest demonstrations of how the first settlers lived. Decisive practical points: the road to the site is rough gravel and often needs a four-wheel drive; a small car may not make it, and rental terms may forbid some roads. Check road conditions before setting out. The edges are high and entirely unsecured.
Stöng, buried under Hekla's ash, rediscovered and excavated.
A replica of the medieval farm nearby shows how the settlers lived.
No barriers or railings at a hundred-metre drop.
Þjórsárdalur valley, south Iceland
Usually yes. The road is rough gravel with difficult sections, and its condition changes with weather and season. Small rental cars are often contractually barred from such roads, which voids the insurance if damaged. Check the Icelandic road service and your rental terms before setting out.
Among Iceland's most active and best-known volcanoes, erupting dozens of times since settlement. In medieval Europe it was called the gateway to hell because of its destructive eruptions. The 1104 eruption buried the farms of Þjórsárdalur in ash and ended settlement there for centuries — which is what preserved Stöng under the ash to be found later.
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