Seljavallalaug swimming pool in South Iceland – everything you need to know

Seljavallalaug swimming pool is one and a fifty percent hours east of Reykjavik together the Iceland‘s Route 1 ring highway that encircles the state. From there, abide by Route 242 to the modest motor vehicle park that is applied by readers to the pool and located just to the south of it. This fairytale spot can be observed among Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, which are a 15- and 10-minute push respectively.

Built in 1923 by a neighborhood guy in purchase to educate Icelanders how to swim, Seljavallalaug swimming pool is just one the oldest swimming swimming pools in Iceland, but pre-dated by the Top secret Lagoon in Flúðir which dates back to 1891. It is 25 metres long and 10 metres wide, which implies it was the most significant swimming pool in Iceland right until 1936. It has experienced number of changes considering the fact that its development 100 several years back it was stuffed with volcanic ash immediately after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, making it unusable for a quick time period until volunteers cleared it out the pursuing calendar year.

Hidden away in the mountains of south Iceland, it is well known with Instagrammers for its legendary area but frequently neglected in favour of other points of interest in the location such as the aforementioned waterfalls and the plane wreck, all of which are pretty near.

From the Seljavallalaug motor vehicle park, it is just a 20-moment walk to the swimming pool. The route is relatively evident, served in aspect by subsequent other folks having the similar route.

If it assists, here’s my Strava recording of our walk to the pool:

It is just under two kilometres one particular way and mostly on the flat.  If you are experience doubtful on your route, note that you will not see the swimming pool right until you get to the each individual finish of the walk.

The only somewhat tricky component of the walk is a rocky stream that you are going to have to have to cross. Depending on the time of year, this could be icy overfoot in Winter season, or broader than usual in Summer time.

The pool is fed naturally by geothermally heated water is in a magical setting on private land but there is no admission rate. You enter the pool at your very own possibility and there are no lifeguards.

Essential Detect:

If you are looking at this post anywhere other than on A Luxurious Vacation Weblog, then the probabilities are that this content has been stolen with no permission.

Be sure to make a be aware of the website deal with previously mentioned and contact A Luxury Journey Website to suggest them of this challenge.

Thank you for your assistance in combatting material theft.

Just ahead of you achieve the pool, you’ll see a tank and pipe on the remaining which feeds geothermally heated water into the pool at its deepest level.

The mountain sorts one particular aspect of the swimming pool and the h2o is contained by the other a few manufactured sides. Despite the fact that heated geothermally, the water is not that sizzling like some of Iceland’s pools – close to 20° to 30°C or 68 to 86°F, which is all. We had arrive armed with swimming issues and towels with the intention of using a dip. The water appeared entire of algae, although, and a lot less than clean (despite a handful of people bathing in it), with nominal fresh h2o flowing in and out of it, so in the close we chose not to swim. We experienced a peek within the altering rooms and they ended up finest avoided completely… absolutely NOT what you would contact luxurious! The luxury below is in the special and picturesque landscape that surrounds the pool, and unfortunately not the services on their own. The pool and the changing rooms are cleaned just at the time a yr and unfortunately not seemed soon after by what is almost certainly a minority of tourists. If you do pay a visit to, be sure to be sure to depart no trace – carry all your items and any litter back with you so that the pool can be savored by some others.

Arranging a journey to Iceland your self? You can observe a video from our trip to Iceland right here:

Disclosure: Our trip to Iceland was also sponsored by Helly Hansen.