Gullfoss - Golden Falls
A view of the upper falls of Gullfoss. Gullfoss is actually two separate waterfalls, the upper one has a drop of 11 m (36 ft) and the lower one 21 m (69 ft). The falls are an example of a waterfall forming where the water has followed a fissure in the lava and carved a passageway through it. It is known as Golden Falls since, on a sunny day, the water plunging down the rapids and then falling in two steps down into the 32 m (105 ft) deep crevice has a golden colour. At one time the government planned to use the falls for large hydroelectric development but the story goes that the scheme was thwarted when a farmer’s daughter, Sigríður Tómasdóttir, threatened to throw herself into the falls if that happened.
Gullfoss - Golden Falls
A view of the upper falls of Gullfoss. Gullfoss is actually two separate waterfalls, the upper one has a drop of 11 m (36 ft) and the lower one 21 m (69 ft). The falls are an example of a waterfall forming where the water has followed a fissure in the lava and carved a passageway through it. It is known as Golden Falls since, on a sunny day, the water plunging down the rapids and then falling in two steps down into the 32 m (105 ft) deep crevice has a golden colour. At one time the government planned to use the falls for large hydroelectric development but the story goes that the scheme was thwarted when a farmer’s daughter, Sigríður Tómasdóttir, threatened to throw herself into the falls if that happened.