Rough gravel. Rough gravel access road — drive slowly; high clearance recommended.
A protected 25-metre pool from 1923 at the head of a mountain gorge on the south coast — free to use, and cleaned just once a summer.
Story & Legend
Seljavallalaug is one of the oldest swimming pools in Iceland: first built of stone in 1923 and concreted the following year, on the initiative of Björn Andrésson of Berjaneskot, who enlisted the local youth association Ungmennafélagið Eyfellingur for the work. Swimming lessons — part of compulsory schooling — began here in 1927, and it was the largest pool in Iceland until 1936. A newer pool serving the area was built about 2 km away in 1990, but the old pool remains open to anyone, free of charge.
Geology & Science
The pool sits at the head of the Laugarárgil gorge near the farm Seljavellir, in the Eyjafjöll district of the south coast, and is classified in OpenStreetMap as a hot-spring bath. In 2010 the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull filled the pool with ash; a group of volunteers gathered in early summer 2011 to dig it out with loaders and excavators.
Safety
Bathing is free of charge but at your own risk, as both the Icelandic and English Wikipedia entries put it. The pool is cleaned only once each summer, and before that cleaning it is often covered in thick algae that calls for care on the slippery surfaces. The access road is mapped in OpenStreetMap as gravel with 'bad' smoothness, and the last stretch to the pool is on foot along valley paths. Check current road conditions at road.is before you go.
Photo Tip
Shoot along the length of the pool — a 25 by 10 metre rectangle of water set against the walls of Laugarárgil gorge is the classic frame. The water photographs best in the weeks after the annual summer cleaning.
Insider Tip
Timing matters more here than at any staffed pool: it is cleaned exactly once a summer, and before that it often wears a thick coat of algae — the same pool can be a clear mountain bath or a slippery green pond depending on when you come.
Best Time to Visit
Summer, ideally after the pool's single annual cleaning — before it, the water is often thick with algae.
What to Bring
Swimsuit, towel, and shoes with good grip for the gravel road and the walk up the valley. Bring a bag for wet gear — this is a free country pool, not a serviced lagoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seljavallalaug free to visit?
Yes. Since a newer pool was built about 2 km away in 1990, anyone may still use the old pool free of charge — but at their own risk. It is cleaned once every summer.
How do you get to Seljavallalaug?
A gravel side road near the farm Seljavellir leads towards the pool; OpenStreetMap grades its surface as gravel with 'bad' smoothness. The road ends before the pool, and the final stretch is on foot along paths up the Laugarárgil valley.
