Ásbyrgi

Ännu en intressant plats på norra Island.

En "hästsko.

 

 

 

 

Jag låter Wikipedia berätta:

 

Ásbyrgi canyon lies in the north of Iceland, about 50 minute drive to the east from Húsavík.

The horseshoe-shaped depression is part of the Vatnajökull National Park

and measures approximately 3.5 km in length and 1.1 km across.

For more than half of its length, the canyon is divided through the middle

 by a distinctive rock formation 25 meters high called Eyjan ("the Island").

 

The canyon's steep sides are formed by cliffs up to 100 metres in height.

Down in the canyon, visitors walk through a woodland of birch and willow.

The small lake Botnstjörn is home to a variety of waterfowl species.

 

 

 

Ásbyrgi was most likely formed by catastrophic glacial flooding of the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum after the last Ice Age, first 8-10,000 years ago, and then again some 3,000 years ago.

The river has since changed its course and now runs about 2 km to the east.

 

 

Legenden berättar att formen av en hästsko kommer från det att Odins häst, som hade åtta ben,

satte ner av sina fötter på den här platsen.

 

 

Längst in i "hästskon" finns sjön och en rastplats.

 Här tog vi paus.