Today I have a very special treat for all my long-term and consistent tour participants - and for the occasional onlooker as well: As a very unusual feature in Iceland, the walk from the parking lot to Botnstjörn lake leads through a thick and vibrant, mainly deciduous forest and this is the only spot in Iceland where I have seen more than the very occasional tree or tiny grove huddled together. It was a real soul-refresher, and the view at the end of the walk with the small lake and the sheer cliff walls behind was very special as well. I hope you will enjoy this special day in Iceland.

Quoting from the "Guide to Island": ""ASBYRGI CANYON is a spectacular horseshoe-shaped depression in the northeast of Iceland, steeped in folklore.

GEOGRAPHY of ASBYRGI CANYON - This beloved natural feature measures approximately 3.5 km / 2 mi in length and 1 km / 0.7 mi in width. It is only a small corner of the extensive and dramatic Vatnajökull National Park, but undoubtedly one of its most breathtaking. Visitors to Asbyrgi will quickly take note of the canyon’s 100 m / 328 feet high cliff faces, as well as the thick woodland of birch and willow below, creating an area quite unlike that found anywhere else across Iceland. Other tree species here include spruce, larch and pine, and there is a small lake called Botnstjörn which visitors can hike to. One of the canyon's most distinctive features is Eyjan ("The Island"), a 25m rock formation that divides Asbyrgi for almost half its length.

FORMATION of ASBYRGI CANYON - Geologists estimate that Asbyrgi Canyon began to form roughly eight to ten million years ago, just after the last Ice Age, following a catastrophic glacial flooding of the Jökulsa a Fjöllum river. This flooding likely occurred due to a volcanic eruption beneath the ice-cap of the Vatnajökull glacier. Later, only 3000 years ago, this process repeated itself, further sculpting the soul-stirring, spectacular gorge that we know and love today.

FOLKLORE of ASBYRGI CANYON - With that being said, Icelandic folklore dictates an alternative theory, as it does with many of the landmarks around the country. Given the canyon’s horseshoe shape, legend has it that Odin’s eight-legged steed, Sleipnir, placed one of his feet on the ground here, leaving a deep imprint on the earth, as it sprinted across the sky. A wealth of art and literature has depicted Sleipnir as Asbyrgi’s true creator. Other myths claim that Asbyrgi is the capital city and true home to Iceland’s ‘hidden people’, the Huldufolk and elves. Many of Iceland’s folk stories revolve around these strange, magical people and their bizarre punishments and plots. Self-professed psychics have claimed that they can see and hear these mystical beings living in cracks and ravines of the canyon. Much more likely to be hidden in the woodland, however, are Arctic Foxes.""

Notes:
My trip introduction in set 1 provides a MAP of the tour plus general information. Please use the link below if you would like to review these:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-667725-1.html

To view earlier posts of this series, access my profile via the link below, then click on the figure behind "# of topics created" for the list of posts:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user-profile?usernum=45105

Thanks for visiting, I recommend viewing the downloads and look forward to your comments and questions.

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