Gjáin

Gjáin is a sheltered green gorge deep in Þjórsárdalur, in South Iceland. After miles of grey gravel, the little river Rauðá breaks into small waterfalls and clear ponds among columns of twisted lava and ferns. The main fall, Gjárfoss, drops from black basalt into a pool at its heart, and short paths thread between the streams. It takes about half an hour to walk, and pairs with the turf farm at Stöng and the tall waterfall Háifoss nearby.