Foss a Sidu waterfall

Foss á Síðu is a waterfall in the South of Iceland and belongs to the most beautiful and most famous waterfalls in Iceland. The river Fossá drops down over a basalt cliff and ends 30 meters lower before it continues its way to the Atlantic ocean. It also has a very unusual feature: because its stream is not very strong, sometimes, during very strong winds that come from the sea, it starts flowing uphill.

Fossá Síðu (name of the old farm in front of the fall) is fed by a small lake called Þórutjörn. A passable hiking trail leads to Þórutjörn and from there the view of Síða is amazing.

Maybe it not the biggest waterfall in Iceland, but certainly one of great beauty. The small vertical, the shape and the foreground with its green colors makes Foss á Síðu one of the finest to photograph. That is why I give such a high rating to the waterfall.

Opposite the falls is the outcrop Dverghamrar (‘Dwarf Rocks’), which contains classic basalt columns and is thought to be the dwelling place of some of Iceland’s ‘hidden people’.

Foss a Sidu is situated along road 1 on the way from Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Skaftafell.

The farm is mentioned in the Book of Settlement and has thus been here since Iceland times of settlement, in the 9th century. Placed in front of beautiful cliffs with its stunning small waterfall it is hard to pass by without noticing. The farm takes its name after the waterfall that comes from a lake, Þórutjörn, on the top of the cliffs. The cliffs are accessible at a steep walking path right by the waterfall and is worth walking. From the top, the view is spectacular. Although the waterfall doesn't have a lot of water, it is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Iceland.

Sometimes the waterfall is blown away by heavy winds when a limited amount of water is coming from the lake. According to a local folklore story, a rare kind of ghost wanders around the area around the farm Foss and the nearby farm Hörgsland. The ghost is a dog who's name is Móri, or simply Ghost, who carries with him a curse that was directed at a particular family in the 16th century. The curse was set out to last for nine generations. There are those that argue that the curse has finished its course, and Móri has disappeared forever, but not all. Throughout the centuries, Móri has never done any harm to people outside this unfortunate family. (Description from europeanwaterfalls.com and hiticeland.com)
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