Borgarfjörður ( Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈpɔrkarˌfjœrðʏr̥] ) is a fjord in the west of Iceland near the town of Borgarnes . Although the waters of Borgarfjörður appear calm, the fjord has significant undercurrents and shallows. The many flat islands lying in the fjord are for the most part uninhabited.
5-549: Hraunfossar ( Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈr̥œynˌfɔsːar̥] ; in Borgarfjörður , western Iceland ) is a series of waterfalls formed by rivulets streaming over a distance of about 900 metres out of the Hallmundarhraun , a lava field which flowed from an eruption of one of the volcanoes lying under the glacier Langjökull . The waterfalls pour into Hvítá (Borgarfjörður) , from ledges of less porous rock in
10-464: A bridge of 0.5 km in length at the inland portion of the fjord. The land around the fjord has been inhabited since the time of Icelandic settlement . Events in the Icelandic sagas such as that of Egill Skallagrímsson are situated here. The name of the fjord seems to have come from the farm Borg , which according to the sagas was founded by Egill's father Skallagrímur , who took the land around
15-472: The fjord and accordingly gave the fjord the name of Borgarfjörður. While serving as a synonym for the various townships, farms, natural attractions and areas in the region, the various parts of Borgarfjörður are now generally referred to as Borgarbyggð , a name that in Icelandic denotes residential areas, populated places, such as Borgarnes , tourist resorts and attractions, and less populated farms and more remote natural areas. The name Borgafjorður refers to
20-547: The lava. The name comes from the Icelandic word for lava ( hraun ) and the word for waterfalls ( fossar ). The Hraunfossar are situated near Húsafell and Reykholt and the Víðgelmir lava tube is close by. Literally a stone's throw upstream from Hraunfossar, there is another waterfall called Barnafoss . Its name, the waterfall of the children , comes from an accident which is said to have taken place here in former times. There
25-435: Was a natural bridge over the waterfall and two children from a nearby farm fell to their deaths crossing the river on the bridge. Afterwards, the grief-struck mother had the bridge destroyed. 64°42′7″N 20°58′41″W / 64.70194°N 20.97806°W / 64.70194; -20.97806 Borgarfj%C3%B6r%C3%B0ur Near Borgarnes, the hringvegur (road no.1 or "ring road") passes over Borgarfjarðarbrú ,
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