About Nykurhylsfoss (Fossarfoss, Sveinsstekksfoss)
Nykurhylsfoss (Sveinsstekksfoss or Fossárdafoss) was kind of a hidden, off-the-beaten track waterfall in Fossárdalur on the Fossá River as it twisted and tumbled its way to the Berufjörður in Iceland’s Eastfjords.
That said, during our August 2021 visit, we did seem to notice an appreciable amount of curious visitors stopping by whether they were looking to break up a long drive or noticing other people parking off the Ring Road (see directions below).
While there seemed to be some degree of confusion about visiting this waterfall (for reasons I’ll get to shortly), once we figured it out, it was actually a quick stop with a nice view across the fjord.
I think the confusion stems from the fact that there was a conspicuous car park and picnic area on the south side of the Fossá River near a bridge that was gated off.
With several cars parked here, it would compel people to want to stop by and have a look, and that certainly happened with us.
Well, it turns out that this car park and picnic area was for the Nykurhylur Pool, which didn’t feature a waterfall, but a sign here indicated a folklore associated with it.
Basically, this pool was named after a mythical creature called a nykur which was a horse with backwards hooves.
It tries to lure people onto its back for a ride, but once a person is on, it can’t get off, and the nykur goes into the lake to drown its victims.
So this explains how the falls got the name Nykurhylsfoss (though I’m still unsure about the Sveinssteksfoss name), but what about the waterfall itself?
Well, it turns out that it’s possible to walk across the gated bridge over the Fossá River and then walk up the steep unpaved road to a lookout where the waterfall can finally be seen.
The round-trip distance of this walk would be about 1km.
However, the easier way to go would be to drive up the road on the north side of the Fossá River (eventually leading to the Eyjólfsstaðir Farm) and park at the car park right around the first bend.
From there, we were able to get a nice view over and across the Berufjörður before walking on the short descending path onto a bluff where there was a designated lookout finally revealing the two-tiered 15-20m Nykurhylsfoss.
Between the car park and the lookout, I also noticed that there was a fence with an entrance that went into a very steep and overgrown trail.
I didn’t pursue this trail all the way, but I’d imagine it eventually went to the top of the waterfall.
There are more waterfalls further upstream on the Fossá to extend a visit here beyond a short stop to break up the long drives through the Eastfjords of Southeast Iceland.
I’m sure pursuits further up the valley will be met with even greater solitude now that Nykurhylsfoss seems to be getting some degree of tourist traffic (at least as of August 2021 when we finally made our visit).
Authorities
Nykurhylsfoss (Sveinsstekksfoss or Fossárdafoss) resides in the East Region near Djúpivogur, Iceland. It is administered by the municipality of Múlaþing. For information or inquiries about the general area as well as current conditions, you may want to try visiting their website.
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