Systrafoss

South

Two parallel streams drop around 25 meters down a hillside directly behind the village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, falling into a small lake called Systravatn. The name — Sisters' Falls — commemorates a Benedictine convent that stood here from around 1186 until the mid-sixteenth century. Both the lake and the falls take their name from those nuns, and the slopes above hold further reminders: Systrastapi, a rocky outcrop a short walk above the falls, is where the sisters were said to have prayed, offering views back over the village and the wide lava fields beyond. From the village centre the walk is short and easy — just a few minutes along a marked trail to the base of the falls, with a path continuing upward to Systrastapi. The trail can be slippery when wet, so grip footwear helps. Parking is available in the village with the trail clearly signed off Route 1. Systrafoss makes a good 20- to 30-minute stop when driving the South Coast, and Kirkjubæjarklaustur — shortened to Klaustur by almost everyone — sits about 260 km east of Reykjavík, making it a natural midpoint for fuel and food.

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