Morsadalur and Kjos (Morsádalur and Kjós)
Morsadalur and Kjos (Morsádalur and Kjós)
This walk is a good choice if low cloud stops you climbing for views today. Duration: 6-7 hours to Morsarjokull and back, 10-12 hours if you go to Kjos.
Difficulty: easy but long walks, about 200m ascent and descent at the start. Interest: glacier tongue, colourful rhyolite rocks, moraines, birch forest.
From the campsite follow the main trail uphill through woodland. Past two waterfalls, bear right to Svartifoss and cross open moorland.
Descend to a lovely waterfall framed by basalt columns. Continue past the falls and climb to a trail junction. Bear right and continue to a viewpoint, Sjonasker, where the trail splits.
Take the left trail and descend to the Morsa Valley. Follow the trail up the valley to the moraines and lagoon at the foot of the glacier.
Alternative route: cross the Morsa on the bridge and proceed over the plain to Baejarstaðarskogur birch woodland, where you can see the tallest birch trees in Iceland. There is a small warm spring hidden in the forested slope.
You can continue up the west side of the valley to the colourful Kjos Valley.
On the return journey, instead of climbing to the plateau, which is the route you came on, you can contour around the plain at the foot of the slope to return to the car park and Information Centre.