The magnificent story behind Iceland’s Gullfoss Waterfall

Iceland is famous for its outlandish scenery, dark, barren volcanic landscapes, hot springs and beautiful waterfalls. And Gullfoss Waterfall is no different.

Gullfoss translates to “Golden Falls,” named after the water’s golden colour and quality when is falls under sunlight. It is situated in the upper part of the Hvítá River (meaning “White River”) in southwest of Iceland. Considered as one of the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland, Gullfoss is one of the most popular tourist attractions and part of the Golden Circle tour.

The water cascades down in two stages, one 11 meter (36 ft) high which falls gracefully onto the other the 21 meter (69 ft) level which drops into the 1.6 mile (2.5km) long crevasse below. This crevasse was created at the end of the Ice Age by catastrophic flood waves, and the constant erosion from the water means it is lengthened by 25cm (9.8 inch) every year.

When you first approach Gullfoss, you hear the roar of the water as is cascades into the deep crevice long before you see it. It’s only when you are looking down from above that the beauty and power of the waterfall becomes evident. While the upper falls drop gracefully to the lower level, the water seems to gather strength and thunders over the lower ones.

Gullfoss Waterfall, Iceland

To fully appreciate the power and beauty of Gullfoss, you have to walk the trails that surround it. In winter, snow covers the surrounding landscape, giving it a glittering quality and the water seems so close that you could almost touch it. This is a great time of the year to visit it as the volume of water is high and moves fiercely down the rocky cascades while various “ice sculptures” created by mother nature are still attached to the sides.

As with many things in Iceland, legends surround the waterfall, and it is the story of Sigríður Tómasdótti that is most closely linked with Gullfoss. It is a story of passion, determination and persistence, and shows how the actions and voice of one person can make a difference and impact the environment.

In the late 1800s, Sigríður lived on her father’s farm with her parents and siblings. She and her sisters built a trail over rough lava terrain from their farm to the waterfall and would often guide visitors down to witness its magnificent beauty.

Then in the first half of the 20^th century, a number of foreign investors, including a British investor, felt that Gullfoss would be a good source of electrical power and made up plans to build a massive dam across the waterfall.

The Britishman who was interested in Gullfoss offered Tomas, Sigridur’s father, 50,000,oo Ikr. for the waterfalls, but his answer was: “I do not sell my friends”. Financeers, who later got their hands on the waterfalls, wanted to harness them. This is what started Sigríður’s fight.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Devastated and appalled by the idea of anything happening to her precious waterfall, Sigríður fought for years to save it, constantly travelling the 75 miles to Reykjavik begging the country’s leadership not to destroy Gullfoss. She fought for the waterfall for years, even using her own money to pay for the country’s best lawyers to pursue the case until the government finally took possession of it to prevent any harm coming to it.

Legend has it that she even threatened to throw herself into the waterfall, therefore committing suicide, when all seemed lost and even walked barefoot to and from Reykjavik, sometimes cutting her feet deeply and getting herself into a mess.

Before Sigríður died in 1957 at the age of 87, Iceland passed a law that forbid foreign nationals from owning state-owned waterfalls, however she didn’t live long enough to see the Gullfoss Waterfall become a national site in 1979. But there is no doubt that she would have been ecstatic at the outcome.

At the steps that lead to the upper level, there stands a memorial to Sigríður created by sculptor Ríkarður Jónsson. The plaque describes her as: “Sigridur in Brattholt was of average height and strongly built. She was considered good looking in her younger years and had thick and beautiful blond hair. She was hard-working and early in her life, mainly worked outdoors.”

But what it doesn’t say is that the fact the we can, today, stand and admire the beautiful magnificent Gullfoss waterfall, is because this strong-willed and determined woman, who might just be Iceland’s first environmentalist, refused to give up on it without a fight.

She, and the story of Gullfoss Waterfall, is a prime example of how once voice, one person, can make a difference.