Kleifar Camp and Stjórnarfoss
8 July 2019
Tjalsvæðið Kleifar is a campsite not too far from the border of the Southern and Eastern region of Iceland, right along the Ring Road. We pulled into the camp tired from the long day before, but still realizing everything we saw was absolutely worth it!
The Kleifar Campsite was definitely the most rustic we’ve stopped at so far on our journey. It consists of a field for parking the campers, another field for setting up tents, and one small covered platform like an open shed with two toilets and an open-air dish washing area. The water only ran cold and there was no heat inside the toilet area, so it was mostly open to the elements. Spartan accommodation for sure!
One thing that the Kleifar Campsite did have was the Stjórnarfoss waterfall right at the edge of the campground. We crossed the tent field and made our way to the small yet beautiful falls. I like little waterfalls! Sometimes the big ones get so much attention and for good reason, but the simplicity of a small falls is something to appreciate. Stjórnarfoss fell over a short cliff that stood as a valley between towering cliffsides, and the water fell in a narrow ribbon into a calm pool in the field below. The green mosses and chocolate-brown rock contrasted with the blue water. Sheep grazed the fields and climbed the hillside around the falls, curiously watching us for a few moments before turning back to the grass. The water in the pool below the waterfall looked so soothing, normally I’d want to jump right in… but not tonight, it’s cold!
We made our way back to the van and set up the cooking area. We made a quick boxed tortellini and sauce from the grocery store. Not exactly Icelandic cuisine, but sometimes when camping you need to go cheap and easy. After dinner, we washed the dishes in the icy cold water and used the freezing cold restrooms quick as we could. We cuddled up inside the van, trying to warm up from the chilly night outside.
The next morning was not as cold, but very windy. Using the stove case and the van doors we tried to keep the wind from putting the flame out as we made our breakfast. One more trip back to the wash station with the chilly bathrooms and freezing cold water, and we were on our way to the next adventure!
