Hike Along Systrafoss Waterfall

The hike up Systrafoss Waterfall is worth a stop along the Ring Road if you have some time and would like a challenging but short hike with beautiful views or are staying the night in Klausterhof, where Systrafoss Waterfall is located. The hike starts at the foot of the mountain and the trail is steep enough that in some places stairs were built into the trail. I lost my footing on the gravel a few times and slipped, but since my hands were free I caught myself and never fell. You have close-up views of the waterfall for the first half-mile of the hike; then the trail veers off some and the waterfall is out of site as you hike straight up the mountain and end at the Systravatn Lake. From there, you're rewarded with beautiful views of the village to the south, what appears to be a farm to the north, and mountains to the east. I encountered a few sheep along the way and a few other hikers who were staying at the same guest house as us. You can take a different trail on the way down through a wooded area, which includes the largest tree in Iceland. 

When you're done, reward yourself with one of the large cookies sold at the N1, which is less than a mile from the trail head.