Raudamelsolkelda, East Region, Iceland

4Stef4115 5:00 PM Oct 1, 2018

Interesting short walk
If you are at Gerduberg cliffs, do yourself a favor and drive to the end of the road past the cliffs to visit this spring and the waterfall Rjukandafoss. It is worth your time. The road in is gravel, but passable it ends at a sort of culdesac where you can park. The path to the spring and falls is obvious and takes you through a beautiful lava field... about a 10 minute walk.. you’ll pass through the lava, and then it turns to a grassy field. Cross the bridge over the stream and the spring is just beyond that. It’s not really marked, but you can’t really miss it.. a hold in the ground with bubbly water! We went just a couple weeks ago, and despite the rain that Iceland had had recently, the spring was very low... but it bubbled away like it was boiling. I wish trip advisor let videos post, since I’d show you what it looked like .. fun! I collected some in my water bottle, but it was pretty muddy and very metallic tasting.. I did taste though, but didn’t “drink” (I did, however, drink heavily from the stream!). On the way back to the car, take the other path before the bridge (going back toward the parking area) and see the beautiful waterfall Rjukandafoss... you can see it the whole time, not like it’s hidden or you have to look for it... but the path will take you right to it. On the road to and fro the spring you will pass a large cinder cone.. this is Ytri Rauðamelskúlur. There is no official sign or trail, but we did notice that someone had climbed up one side. I imagine this would be a difficult climb. And as with everywhere in Iceland, please stay on the marked or well worn existing trails. Do not branch off by yourself, or you will ruin the plants, moss, and landscape.

3johnarama 5:00 PM Apr 17, 2019

We tried to get here but the bridge was out!
I found this place while researching for my Iceland trip and I REALLY wanted to see it. You take the road for the Gerðuberg cliffs off of Route 54, which is also labeled with Rauðamelsölkelda; follow the road past the cliffs, and bear left when you see a turn-off to the right for a church. Follow the road for several minutes until it ends, you will pass a cinder cone on your right. Keep going until you find a small parking lot with a sign for Rauðamelsölkelda. Follow the obvious path through the beautiful lava field, and you get to a waterfall and a river you need to cross. Apparently the spring is on the other side. Unfortunately, the bridge was laying on its side in the river and the water was too high and fast for me to get across! It was a bummer but still a beautiful walk...bring hip waders if you want to make sure you can get to the spring!