Hrafnabjargafoss Waterfall

The water does not come down in one drop. At Hrafnabjargafoss the Skjálfandafljót breaks around outcrops of dark basalt and falls in several channels at once, so the scene is wide rather than tall. Around the falls the rock is scoured into ledges, steps and hollows, and the hollows hold standing water. The rock, not the height, is the reason to stop here. Beyond the falls themselves there is not a great deal to see, and the place works best as an add-on to Aldeyjarfoss, close by on the same track. This is open highland with nothing built on it. The lake Ísholsvatn lies just across the way.

• No facilities. There are no toilets, no drinking water and no information board at the falls.
• Dress for cold. It stays cold up here in summer, and snow has fallen at the falls in July.
• Winter needs kit. Ice and snow cover the ground; crampons and a properly equipped vehicle are what get people in.
• Check volcanic activity. An active volcano lies close by. Look at the aviation colour code before you set out.
• Pair it with Aldeyjarfoss. The two waterfalls sit close together on the same track.

No bus comes anywhere near. The approach is by road only and it needs a 4x4: the track in is bumpy, and the final stretch to the falls is rough enough that you should crawl it. The forks along the way are signposted, which is what makes the turnings findable. The track simply ends near the falls, with no marked car park. The nearest mapped parking is at Aldeyjarfoss, about 2.7 km away, and walking on from there is the fallback for anyone without a 4x4.

Best: summer, when the track is drivable in an ordinary 4x4 and the rock is clear of ice.

Avoid: winter, unless you are in a properly equipped vehicle and carrying crampons for the ground around the falls.

Cold decides the visit here, not crowds. The falls sit in open highland with no shelter, and the whole trip depends on the state of the track rather than on the time of day.