is a

spring creek A spring creek is a type of free flowing river whose name derives from its origin: an underground Spring (hydrology), spring or set of springs which produces sufficient water to consistently feed a unique river. The water flowing in a spring cree ...

that runs westward through

Öxnadalsheiði Öxnadalsheiði is a plateau (which includes a valley of the same name) in between Norðurárdalur in Skagafjörður and Öxnadalur in Eyjafjörður, Iceland. Route 1 between Skagafjörður and Akureyri Akureyri (, ) is a town in northern I ...

plateau in

Skagafjörður Skagafjörður () is a deep fjord and its valley in northern Iceland. Location Skagafjörður, the fjord, is about 40 km long and 15 km wide, situated between Tröllaskagi to the east and the Skagi, Skagi Peninsula to the west. Ther ...

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

and later flows into the Norðurá river where it descends into Norðurárdalur valley. The river originates in Kaldbaksdalur valley, which runs southward just east of the border between Skagafjörður and

Eyjafjörður Eyjafjörður (, ''Island Fjord'') is one of the longest fjords in Iceland. It is located in the central north of the country. Situated by the fjord is the country's fourth most populous municipality, Akureyri. Physical geography The fjord is ...

counties on the plateau. At a lower elevation, near the bottom of on the side closest to , there is only a narrow valley and the Heiðará river runs through it in an enormous and rather deep gorge. Today, the road runs along the upper edge of the slope, that is, along the edge of the ravine. However, in previous centuries, there were tight riding paths, which were often impassible for long periods during the winter due to the snow and slippery ice. Travelers needed to navigate through the bottom of the ravine right along the river, and this was considered a treacherous route.

References

{{Authority control Rivers of Iceland Skagafjörður