레이니스피아라(Reynisfjara) 안내. 아이슬란드(Iceland)

레이니스피아라(Reynisfjara) 안내. 아이슬란드(Iceland)

Hálsanefshellir

At the southwest corner of Reynisfjall there are uniquely beautiful columnar basalt formations that extend eastward along the shoreline, forming a large vaulted cavern called Hálsanefshellir, one of the most impressive such natural monuments in the country. Visitors are reminded that the approach to the cave is very difficult and should only be attempted under optimal conditions.

Reynisdrangar

An impressive sight from the shore, the sea stacks called Reynisdrangar, are only a short distance from land. They are named Skessudrangur, Langhanmar and Landdrangur (66 m). According to legend, two giants had tried to tow a three-sailed ship to the shore, but daybreak overtook them before they could reach the safety of the mountain, and both the giants and the ship turned to stone.

Dyrhólaey

Dyrhólaey is a promontory with steep cliffs that extend into the sea, the highest elevation of 115 m being on the west. Three gaps pass through Dyrhólaey at water level. one is much larger than the others, and boats of up to 30 tons can pass through it. The island was formed by a volcanic eruption 100 thousand years ago. Háidrangur is the highest (56 m) of the sea stacks off Dyrhólaey and has very steep sides. Lundadrangur is unique, as it is possible to row a boat through an opening into a pool inside. This pillar of rock can then be scaled "from the inside". "Mávadrangur is the sea stack farthest from land, while those closest to the shore, west of the island, are called Kambur and Litlidrangur. There are large colonies of sea birds on the sea stacks and cliffs of Dyrhólaey. A lighthouse was built on the promontory in 1910, and the present structure, dating from 1927, has the largest lens of any lighthouse in Iceland. For centuries, boats were launched from Dyrhólaey when people still rowed out to sea to fish. Dyrhólaey is a protected area under the nature conservation act.

Hellnaskagi

Hellnaskagi is the name of a sandstone spit, covered with vegetation, west of Garðar. Ruins can be seen here from the farm Hellnar, abandoned during the first decade of the 20th century. There are also several caves in the area: some hollowed out by water, others manmade. The best known cave is called Baðstofuhellir, and was occupied by the Reverend Jón Steingrímsson during the clergyman's first winter in Mýrdalur in 1755. He is famous for preaching a sermon that stopped the lava flow from the Laki eruption in 1783. Other known caves includes Heyhellir and Sönghellir, Grænkerluhellir was said to be the home of 'hidden people" or fairies, and Hestatröð is the largest cavern, 18 metres long.

Reynishverfi

The cluster of farms under the western end of Reynisfjall is called Reynishverfi. The road Reynishverfisvegur［215］runs from the national highway down to Reynisfjara beach at Garðar. Reynir is a farm that dates from the settlement of Iceland; the land was claimed by Reyni-Björn from Valdres in Norway. His holdings extended from Kerlingardalsá to Hafursá. The events behind the folk tale of the church-builder of Reynir are said to have taken place here. The first church at Reynir is mentioned in the ecclesiastical register of 1200. In 1897, the church was moved to a site somewhat farther south. The old cemetery at Reynir is seen on the right when driving down to the sea from the former Reynir farmstead. Among those buried there is physician and naturalist Sveinn Pálsson (1762-1840) from Suður Vík, who was famous for his studies of Icelandic glaciers.

Stuðlaberg í Reynisfjöru

Háidrangur (Skessudrangur) í Reynisfjöru

Warning !

Watch out for big dangerous waves

Swimming is very dangerous

Watch your children

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Reynisfjara

Reynisfjara Beach

Reynisfjara, which lies between the peninsula of Dyrhólaey and Mount Reynisfjall, is famed for its beauty and striking scenery, although its crashing waves can prove dangerous. Fishermen launched their open boats from the beach in times past, among them the Reverend Jón Steingrímsson, who was a farmer at Hellur in Mýrdalur, and the doctor and naturalist Sveinn Pálsson.

On the beach west of Mount Reynisfjall is the cave Hálsanefshellir, where striking columnar basalt formations can be seen. Columnar basalt is formed when magma cools slowly and cracks into columns, usually hexagonal, as the surface area decreases. The columns always stand perpendicular to the cooling surface and can be horizontal, spreading out from the centre, or vertical. The varied forms of the columns are perhaps due to this being a cross-section of an ancient volcano, as dykes, small magma chambers and lava sills can be found among other rock formations.

Behind Reynisfjara lies Dyrhólaós, a large, but shallow, brackish lagoon. Salinity varies considerably with the tides, but is usually highest close to the mouth of the estuary, where the salinity fluctuates most drastically. Several rivers and streams flow into Dyrhólaós, among them Hvammsá, Deildara and Brandslækur. The mouth of the estuary closes occasionally, preventing seawater from flowing in, and causing the water level to rise (by up to 1 m). The mudflats in Dyrhólaós provide important feeding prounds for water birds, especially as mudflats are infrequent on the south and southeast coast of Iceland. Migrating birds that pass over Iceland on their way between mainland Europe and Greenland or Canada make use of the mudflats to nourish themselves on their journey, and mudflats such as these also provide vital nourishment for Icelandic grassland birds when conditions are hard in the spring.

The Seal Skin in Reynisfjara

The story of the seal skin is one of the most well-known folk tales originating from Mýrdalur. The story is based on the belief that seals are descended from humans and that once a year they will come on land and cast off their sea skin to dance and sing through the night.

Once upon a time, a man in Mýrdalur was walking past Hálsanefshellir in Reynisfjara early one morning when he heard sounds of festivities and dancing from within the cave. Outside the cave lay many seal skins. He took one of the skins, brought it home and locked it in a chest. A few days later he returned to the mouth of the cave to find a young and beautiful woman there. She was naked and crying desperately. This was the seal whose skin the man had taken. He gave her cloths, comforted her and took her to his home. She got along with him, but did not take to others and would often sit and look at the sea. As time passed, the man married her. Their union was harmonious and several children were born to them. The man kept the skin locked in his chest and took the key with him wherever he went.

Once, when many years had passed, he forget the key at home when he rowed out to sea. When he returned home, the chest was open and both the woman and the skin were gone. She had taken the key, opened the chest out of curiosity and found her skin there. She could not resist the temptation so she bade her children farewell; put on her skin and plunged into the sea. Before doing so, she is said to have uttered the following:

"Woe is me,

I have seven children in the sea

And seven on land."

The man is said to have been greatly distressed by this. Later, when he went fishing, a seal would often swim around his boat with tears seeming to run from its eyes. Ever since then, the man was lucky in his fishing and many fortunes awaited him. When their children walked along the shore, a seal would often swim close by and throw colourful fish and beautiful shells to them. But their mother would never return to land.

From íslenzkar þjóðsögur og ævintýri by Jón Ámasson

Welcome to Katla Geopark

Reynisfjara og Reynisdrangar - Reynisfjara beach and Reynisdrangar rocks

 Hálsanefshellir cave

Lundar í Reynisfjalli - Puffins in Reynisfjall mountain

Dyrhólaós estuary and Dyrhólaey in the far. Dyrhólaós estuary is an important feeding ground for water birds and migrating birds.

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