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, comply with Route 242 to the small automobile park that’s utilized by guests to the pool and positioned simply to the south of it. This fairytale location might be discovered between Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, that are a 15- and 10-minute drive respectively.
Inbuilt 1923 by an area man to be able to train Icelanders the right way to 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 large, which implies it was the most important swimming pool in Iceland till 1936. It has skilled few adjustments since its development 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 12 months.
Hidden away within the mountains of south Iceland, it’s standard with Instagrammers for its iconic location however typically neglected in favour of different sights 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 individuals 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 technique and totally on the flat. If you’re feeling not sure in your route, be aware that you’ll not see the swimming pool till you get to the each finish of the stroll.
The one barely tough a part of the stroll is a rocky stream that you simply’ll must cross. Relying on the time of 12 months, this could possibly be icy overfoot in Winter, or wider than regular in Summer time.
The pool is fed naturally by geothermally heated water is in a magical setting on non-public land however there isn’t a admission payment. You enter the pool at your individual threat and there aren’t 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 kinds 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 scorching 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 regarded filled with algae, although, and fewer than clear (regardless of a handful of individuals bathing in it), with minimal recent water flowing out and in of it, so in the long run we selected to not swim. We had a peek contained in the altering rooms they usually had been greatest averted utterly… actually NOT what you’d 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 annually and sadly not taken care of by what might be a minority of vacationers. In the event you do go to, please you should definitely depart no hint – convey all of your issues and any litter again with you in order that the pool might be loved by others.
Planning a visit to Iceland your self? You may watch a video from our journey to Iceland right here:
Disclosure: Our journey to Iceland was additionally sponsored by Helly Hansen.
