Gljufurarfoss Waterfall

Gljufurarfoss is wide rather than tall. The water comes down in a broad spread broken into many smaller falls, one above the other, and a route runs up beside them to the top. That climb is the reason to stop, because each level gives a different view down the river. In summer wildflowers grow along the water's edge below. The falls stand at the roadside, and with about three dozen Google ratings they draw little traffic — having the place to yourself is a fair expectation. Opinions are not unanimous: some rate it five stars, others call it an average waterfall.

• What to expect: A broad, tiered fall, not a single tall drop. Ratings split between five stars and "pretty average".
• Review photos: Some photos posted here show entirely different waterfalls. Do not plan the stop around them.
• Not a destination in itself: It suits a break on the drive. A long detour made for it alone can disappoint.
• To the top: The roadside view needs no walking, but reaching the top means climbing on foot beside the falls.

The waterfall stands at the roadside on Vestfjarðavegur, so the view from below costs no walking at all. Reaching the top is a different matter: the way up goes on foot, beside the string of smaller falls. That makes Gljufurarfoss an easy break on a Westfjords drive — one of the few stops that asks nothing of you before you see it.

Better: summer, when wildflowers grow along the river's edge and the climb up beside the falls is the point of stopping. In summer the sun barely sets in the Westfjords, so the hour matters less here than the weather.

Avoid: a long drive made for this stop alone. It rewards a pause on the way more than a journey of its own, and not everyone finds the detour repaid.

Crowds are not the issue. With about three dozen ratings on Google, the chance of standing there alone is real.