Skaftafell in Öræfi, Southeast Iceland, is part of Vatnajökull National Park. The scenery around Skaftafell is spectacular with jagged mountain tops and Iceland’s highest mountain, Hvannadalshnjúkur.
Volcanic eruptions in Öræfajökull have formed the landscape as well as the glacial rivers, Skeiðará, Morsá und Skaftafellsá, which contribute to the huge sands, Skeiðarársandur, that cover an area of around 1000 km2.
Þjórsárdalur is a wide valley located inland in Árnes county, South Iceland. Several rivers flow through the valley, forming waterfalls as they plung off the edge of the plateau.
Hjálp, or Hjálparfoss is one of the waterfalls in the valley, situated north of the volcano Hekla. It is a two-stepped waterfall, near where the rivers Fossá and Thjórsá join together. Beautiful basalt formations surround the waterfall. It is easy to reach from the main road and footpaths lead down to the riverfront.
It has been getting colder in the last few days. The frost was around -7° C today and the forecast predicts up to -10°C tonight in the South and even colder in the North and the East. Cold air is on its way from Northeast Greenland and forecasts predict that the cold will reach West Europe tomorrow. A little ice has started to form on the river.
This is one of the Redwings that seems to have decided to stay the winter. There are usually around 6 to 8 of them here in the garden everyday.
Two European Robins where in the garden yesterday. The one who was here first drove the new one away, again and again, – not willing to share the food with another of its kind. Like some other birds, the Robin claims territory over the winter time. The presence of other Robins is not tolerated within the territory.
The sun now rises at about ten o’clock in the morning and sets at about half past four. We see the days become shorter and twilight takes up a bigger part if the day time. Sometimes the sun is a great nuisance, – it is low on the horizon and gets in ones eyes e.g. when driving.
Low on the horizon the sun lights up the clouds lending them brighter colours .
There are new guests in the garden. A European Robin, two female Blackcaps and a Brambling. They are more than welcome and the Robin got a piece of melon, the Blackcaps an apple and the Brambling some seeds.
They seemed happy with the refreshments but as the day went on they had to fight with Starlings, Blackbirds and Redwings for food.
Today eight Blackbirds were in the garden hopping around in the leaves looking for food or picking berries from trees and shrubs. They seem to know of the frost and snow predicted in the next few days.
Blackbirds are becoming more and more noticeable in Iceland. They started breeding in Reykjavík in 1991 but in the last few years they have spread around the country and now they breed in many places.
In Selfoss breeding was confirmed three years ago and their numbers are growing.
Churches come in all shapes and sizes. This is the church at Núpsstaður, one of the smallest churches in Iceland and perhaps in the world. It is a turf church made like the old Icelandic traditional farmhouses. A little less spectacular than the Sagrada Família in Barcelona.
This tiny chapel is a valuable heritage and became Iceland’s first building to be protected by law in 1930.
The old buildings of Núpsstaður are listed tentative – UNESCO World Heritage Site, see: The Turf House Tradition
