Seljavallalaug swimming pool is one and a half hours east of Reykjavik alongside the Iceland‘s Route 1 ring highway that encircles the nation. From there, observe Route 242 to the small automobile park that’s utilized by guests to the pool and situated simply to the south of it. This fairytale location will be discovered between Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, that are a 15- and 10-minute drive respectively.
In-built 1923 by a neighborhood man so as to educate Icelanders how you can swim, Seljavallalaug swimming pool is one the oldest swimming swimming pools in Iceland, however pre-dated by the Secret Lagoon in Flúðir which dates again to 1891. It’s 25 metres lengthy and 10 metres broad, which implies it was the most important swimming pool in Iceland till 1936. It has skilled few adjustments since its building 100 years in the past; it was stuffed with volcanic ash after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, making it unusable for a short interval till volunteers cleared it out the next yr.
Hidden away within the mountains of south Iceland, it’s common with Instagrammers for its iconic location however usually neglected in favour of different points of interest within the space such because the aforementioned waterfalls and the aircraft wreck, all of that are very shut.
From the Seljavallalaug automobile park, it’s only a 20-minute stroll to the swimming pool. The route is pretty apparent, helped partly by following different folks taking the identical route.
If it helps, right here’s my Strava recording of our stroll to the pool:
It’s just below two kilometres a method and totally on the flat. In case you are feeling uncertain in your route, notice that you’ll not see the swimming pool till you get to the each finish of the stroll.
The one barely difficult a part of the stroll is a rocky stream that you simply’ll must cross. Relying on the time of yr, this may very well be icy overfoot in Winter, or wider than regular in Summer season.
The pool is fed naturally by geothermally heated water is in a magical setting on personal land however there is no such thing as a admission payment. You enter the pool at your individual danger and there are not any lifeguards.
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Simply earlier than you attain the pool, you’ll see a tank and pipe on the left which feeds geothermally heated water into the pool at its deepest level.
The mountain types one aspect of the swimming pool and the water is contained by the opposite three constructed sides. Though heated geothermally, the water is just not that sizzling like a few of Iceland’s swimming pools – round 20° to 30°C or 68 to 86°F, that’s all. We had come armed with swimming issues and towels with the intention of taking a dip. The water seemed filled with algae, although, and fewer than clear (regardless of a handful of individuals bathing in it), with minimal contemporary water flowing out and in of it, so ultimately we selected to not swim. We had a peek contained in the altering rooms and so they have been finest prevented utterly… actually NOT what you’ll name luxurious! The posh right here is within the distinctive and picturesque panorama that surrounds the pool, and sadly not the amenities themselves. The pool and the altering rooms are cleaned simply every year and sadly not sorted by what might be a minority of vacationers. Should you do go to, please remember to go away no hint – convey all of your issues and any litter again with you in order that the pool will be loved by others.
Planning a visit to Iceland your self? You possibly can watch a video from our journey to Iceland right here:
Disclosure: Our journey to Iceland was additionally sponsored by Helly Hansen.
