Next to the very popular Geysir geothermal area in South Iceland, you will find one of our national treasures: the huge Haukadalsskógur forest (Iceland standard), a lovely church, and a small geothermal pool where one can bathe.
Very few people visit it as they go straight from Geysir to Gullfoss waterfall, which are 2 of the main attractions of the Golden Circle, the most popular day tour in Iceland.
Top photo: wood cutting in Haukadalsskógur
Mushrooms in the forest
Haukadalsskógur forest is the most intensively cultivated of Iceland's national forests and one of the largest in South Iceland. We Icelanders don't have that many forests, so we love our few forested areas.
Landnámabók - the Book of Settlement, in which you can read about the Settlement of the Vikings in Iceland, describes Iceland as having been forested from the mountains and all the way down to the sea.
It is very different from the Iceland I know, although my country is becoming increasingly forested now due to forestation. But we had very few trees when I was growing up.
The Vikings are said to have used the plentiful wood excessively and allowed their livestock to roam freely in the forests, which seems to have led to denudation. Now we try to keep our sheep away from national parks and sensitive areas, as we don't want our country to be blown out to sea by soil erosion.
Monument in the forest for Kristian Kirk
But other factors also contributed to denudation, for example, freezing periods and frequent volcanic ashfall from the nearby volcano Hekla. These factors turned the Haukadalsheiði heath into a vast desert and put the Haukadalur valley at risk.
Fortunately, a Danish tycoon, Kristian Kirk, bought a part of the Haukadalur valley in 1938, and measures were taken to protect this area from soil erosion. Kristian died only 2 years later and left his land to Skógrækt ríkisins - the Icelandic Forest Service - all 1,600 hectares of it.
The Icelandic Forest Service continued forestation and declared the Haukadalsskógur forest protected. You will find Kristian's monument by the driveway to Haukadalur.
Berries in the forest
This area is now one of the most spacious revegetation sites in Iceland. If you want to drive up to the heath, a 4x4 is needed, as the road further along is numbered F-338, the F standing for fjallvegur, the Icelandic term for a mountain road.
To me, Haukadalsskógur is a hidden pearl, and I love walking around in between the tall trees, something which our foreign visitors are for sure used to, but we Icelanders consider to be a unique experience :) So we Icelanders visit our few forests a lot.
You will find many trails in Haukadalsskógur, including a customized wheelchair trail, created in cooperation with Sjálfsbjörg, our Icelandic federation of people with movement impairments.
Mushrooms in the forest
Seeing that Haukadalsskógur is a cultivated forest, then forestation experiments are made here, and we can even buy our Christmas trees from this beautiful forest. I saw a big pile of logs in one place. I guess that they were thinning the forest.
I was in awe when I saw this huge pile of logs, as I had only seen it abroad. I guess you must be used to this sight in your own country.
Now, a little bit of history: Haukadalur valley is a historical site and one of Iceland's study centres from the early days.
The settlers in Haukadalur were Þorbrandur Þorbjarnarson and his son Ásbrandur. Then Hallur Þórarinsson the mild built his farm here in 1025.
The noted Ari fróði Þorgilsson - Ari the Wise (1067-1148), who belonged to the Haukdælir clan, stayed with Hallur for 7 years, from age 7 to 14.
Mushrooms in the forest
Ari the Wise, the father of Icelandic historiography, is best known for writing Íslendingabók, or the Book of Icelanders, which tells us the early history of Icelanders.
Íslendingabók is the first written work of history in Iceland from the Settlement of Iceland until 1118.
Ari the Wise is said to have returned to Haukadalur to write the Book of Icelanders when he was almost 60.
From the 11th century until the 13th century, for 174 years, the manor of the great Viking clan Haukdælir was located in Haukadalur. The patriarch of the Haukdælir clan was the priest Teitur Ísleifsson at Haukadalur (d. 1111), who was raised by the same Hallur Þórarinsson as Ari the Wise had stayed with for 7 years.
Teitur was the son of the first Icelandic bishop, Ísleifur Gissurarson (1006-1080). So we can for sure say that Haukadalur is a historical place.
The monument for Hákon Bjarnason
Now, back to talking about my visit to Haukadalsskógur forest. We explored the parts of the forest closest to the road and down to the river on the west side.
We found a lovely picnic area with a totem pole in the middle of the grove. This grove is called Hákonarlundur grove in memory of Hákon Bjarnason (1907-1989), who was the forestry director from 1935 to 1977.
The pole was erected in 1999 on the 100th anniversary of forestation in Iceland and the 60th anniversary of forestation in Haukadalur valley. T
Guðjón Kristinsson and the carvings carved he pole refer to the history of forestation in Iceland and depict the landvættir - the land wights of Iceland, who protect the north, south, east, and west parts of Iceland.
The information sign about Hákon Bjarnason
You will see the rock giant of the south perched at the top of the pole and the other wights further down, the bull, the eagle, and the dragon.
Other signs have been carved into the pole: the Russian bear, the Norwegian elk, and the bald eagle from Alaska, referring to some of the trees planted in the Haukadalsskógur forest.
There is also the face of a Native American carved in the totem pole. Hákon was fascinated by this type of art, so the pole was erected to honour his memory and the great work he did for the Haukadalsskógur forest.
Having a picnic with my husband and my mother-in-law
We had a picnic by the totem pole; it was so lovely and a rare opportunity here in Iceland to have a picnic in an actual forest.
We have a cultivated forest in Elliðaárdalur valley in the middle of Reykjavík, which I visited often, as it was next to my former home, where I lived for 28 years. But you can hear city traffic there, whereas in Haukadalur forest, we couldn't hear anything but the birds singing.
Haukadalskirkja church
Haukadalskirkja church
Haukadalskirkja church is one of the many lovely country churches you can see dotted across Iceland.
I love visiting these churches, and on my travels in my country, I pop in for a visit to as many churches as I possibly can.
Unfortunately, they are almost all locked now due to vandalism, so I have to find the key to enter them, which is not always that easy.
Folklore tells us about the origin of this ring on the church door
Haukadalskirkja has always been locked when I have visited this area, and I didn't know who to call to enter it. So I could only peep through the windows.
It is such a pity that we have to keep these lovely churches locked. I wish we could all respect them so that everyone can enjoy these little gems dotted around my country.
You will find a shield on the red-painted church door with a ring attached. Folklore is related to that ring.
Haukadalskirkja church
Haukadalskirkja is regarded as one of the oldest timber churches in Iceland. It was built in 1842-43 and rebuilt and enlarged by Kristian Kirk in 1939.
There has been a church in Haukadalur at least since 1121 (some say 1030), and the current church stands on the same foundations.
In Catholic times, Haukadalskirkja church was dedicated to God, the Virgin Mary, St. Andrew, Bishop Marteinn, and St. Barbara.
Beiná river
The river Beiná - the Bone river runs by the church, and the old Haukadalur farm stood east of the church. There are supposedly bone remains in the Beiná River, thus the name.
In another travel blog, I told you about the giant Bergþór in Bláfell, whose memorial stone you will find by the church:
The gentle Troll Bergþór in Mt. Bláfell - Icelandic Folklore from South Iceland
Marteinshver hot spring and Kúalaug hot pool
Marteinshver hot spring - it is 80-100 degrees C hot - do not bathe here!!
Seeing that this area is next to the highly geothermal Geysir area, there is geothermal activity in the Haukadalsskógur forest.
The best-known is the protected Marteinshver hot spring, which was used to heat water for a swimming pool and for swimming lessons for the inhabitants of neighbouring areas.
There was a hut above the hot spring to create a steam bath, and potatoes were cooked in the hot spring, and laundry was done here as well.
Marteinshver hot spring - this is the hot spring and not the hot pool!
In my childhood, there was a small hut above the hot spring in Laugarvatn where we always stopped for a free steam bath.
Now a spa has been built, which uses the geothermal heat from the hot spring in Laugarvatn. It is called Fontana and deserves a visit if you want to be spoiled.
Marteinshver hot spring is by the river on the west side of the church, very difficult to find, and it is best to leave it alone as it is so frightfully hot; 80-100 degrees hot! It is now preserved and used to heat the Icelandic Forest Service building.
80-100 degrees C hot!!
There is a pool called Marteinslaug, which I didn't find. I have seen it mentioned with photos of Marteinshver hot spring, which is frightening, as that is a scalding hot spring!
Marteinslaug is 220 meters west of the Marteinshver hot spring, according to Geysir fornleifaskráning.
By the road is Kúalaug, which is suitable for bathing.
Kúalaug hot pool
Kúalaug hot pool
There are 3 hot pools in this area: Kúalaug, Matarlaug, and Sokkalaug. Matarlaug is around 70 degrees C, Sokkalaug is around 25 degrees C, but Kúalaug has the perfect temperature of 38-40 degrees C.
Kúalaug consists of 2 pools, a bigger and a smaller pool, surrounded by stones to define them. I have only had a foot bath in it, but I think that it is big enough for 4-6 people to bathe in and enjoy.
Kúalaug is right by the road before you reach Haukadalskirkja church and is easily accessible. There are no changing facilities, though, so if you want to visit the pool, it would be best to wear your bathing suit inside your clothes and leave your clothes on the grass by the pool.
Kúalaug hot pool
Always wear a bathing suit when bathing in our hot pools, especially when they are right by the road, like this one.
The pool edges can become slippery in the rain, and since it is a natural pool, there is vegetation at the bottom, which can be slippery.
Always check the water temperature before entering natural hot pools; this is nature, and the temperature can change. When I last visited this area in 2020, Kúalaug had a lot of vegetation and did not look inviting for bathing, so I only took a footbath in the pool.
Having a foot bath in Kúalaug
Don't miss visiting this lovely area while in Iceland. I am aware that our foreign visitors are on a tight schedule and want to see the highlights of the Golden Circle, but now you know that the surrounding area also has hidden gems.
Kúalaug is in South Iceland, 2 km away from Geysir. Drive to Geysir on Route 35, then onto Route 333. The road is marked as F-333, but it doesn't become an F-road until later. The pool is right by the road on the left-hand side, just before you reach the church.
Here you can see the location of the Kúalaug hot pool on Google Maps. If you want to drive to this place, you can rent a car in Reykjavík and drive there in less than 2 hours - there are plenty of interesting stops on the way.
You can also check out the various Golden Circle Tours.
Have a lovely time at Haukadalsskógur forest :)
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