Glymur Waterfall

The walk is the visit here. Marked paths climb the east side of the canyon from the car park, past a cave and out along open ground above Hvalfjörður. Glymur drops 198 metres into a narrow gorge, and the viewpoints look across it rather than down into it. The full loop runs about 7 km and crosses the river twice: a log with a guide rope low down, and a wade above the top of the falls. Fixed ropes protect the exposed sections. Most walkers stop at the trail checkpoint above the falls, and the ground beyond it is much quieter.

• Rain changes the walk. Everything gets wet, the rock turns slippery, and a moderate hike becomes a difficult one.
• Bring shoes you can soak, or a spare pair for the crossings. The lower crossing is a log with a guide rope over Botnsá.
• The full loop is about 7 km and needs a wade across the river above the falls. The water is cold and the bed is rocky.
• Fixed ropes protect the exposed sections above the canyon. Take snacks and a refillable water bottle with you.
• Dogs are allowed, though they face the same river crossings and the same exposed ground above the canyon.

The road ends at a car park, and the trail starts from it. From there the marked path climbs the east side of the river Botnsá, and everything beyond is on foot. The full loop is about 7 km, and the return half, on the other side of the river, is the easier one. Since the Hvalfjörður Tunnel opened under the fjord, visitor numbers here have dropped.

Better: a dry day.

Avoid: rain, and the hours straight after it.

Wet rock is what makes this hike hard. The river crossings, the roped sections and the climb all turn slippery. Crowds thin out above the falls, because most people turn back at the trail checkpoint there and miss the views past it.