Elliðaárdalur valley
In the old days, anything that was outside of the 101 area was outside of Reykjavík. And according to many die-hard inhabitants of the 101 postcode this still applies. On that technicality, we are including Elliðárdalur in this round-up. It’s located in the suburb of Árbær but the valley’s history goes further back than when the suburb was built around it in the 60’s.
You might notice the name Elliði in the lake, the rivers and the valley. Elliði was the viking settler that settled the area and being really creative, he named everything after himself.
The Elliðarárdalur valley was formed way back when lava flowed down it. Today, the valley is most known for the Elliðaár rivers that flow down the valley from their origin in Lake Elliðavatn.
The rivers are unique since they are the only salmon rivers that run through a capital city in the world. It’s quite a common sight later in the summer to see salmon jumping up from the river during their migration to their hatching sites.
The rivers form quite a few waterfalls when they run down their lava track, down to the ocean. Some of them seem to be just little creeks during dry summers but they become majestic and picturesque forces of nature when the snow melts in the spring or after a heavy rainfall.
The downward slope of the river came in handy in the 30’s when Icelanders began their journey towards renewable energy sources. The first hydroelectric power plant that generated electricity for the growing population of Reykjavík, was built in Elliðaárdalur.
The power plant at the bottom of the valley and the dam that is situated further up the valley are today one of the landmarks of the Árbær neighbourhood. The plant is no longer in use but its architecture shows the enthusiasm for this new thing called electricity. Today, the power station has become a museum and an activity centre for families with a small bistro that serves coffee, drinks and light cuisine.
Close to the old power station, you will find a small village, nestled in the nearby forest. When the power station was built, it was so far from Reykjavík that the power company built housing for the employees of the station. It’s quite unique since it’s the only street outside of the 101 area where you can find old houses similar to those in the historic downtown of Reykjavík.
There is a large island that lies between the two rivers, close to the power station. You might not notice that it is an island since it’s covered with a forest that was planted by the station manager of the power plant in the 30’s. If you look closely between the trees, you will find lava caves and interesting rock formations.
Close to the old power station, you will find the Árbær outdoor museum. It features the original Árbær farm, with its traditional turf roof but also buildings that were moved from downtown Reykjavík and other places around the country during a short period of time when the old wooden houses had to make way for the new concrete buildings.
If you hike further upstream, past the dam, you come upon a sports centre with a soccer stadium and a public swimming pool, Árbæjarlaug.
It’s one of Reykjavík’s most renowned swimming pools outside the city centre and offers a waterslide and a spectacular view down the Elliðarárdalur valley and out to the ocean.
