Migandifoss Viewpoint

The waterfall empties straight into the sea, and that is the reason to stop. From the road above, Migandifoss is hidden; this pull-off is where the drop becomes visible. The view is a distant one — the falls are across the water, not at your feet — so binoculars or a long lens are worth having. The same waterfall can be seen from the water on the Grímsey ferry, which passes below it. Whales come into the fjord here, and the water is as much of a reason to linger as the falls themselves. Nothing has been built at the viewpoint: no kiosk, no boards, no shelter from the wind.

• Parking is free — the car park is at the viewpoint, but the way in and out of it is steep.
• No services at all — no toilets, no drinking water, no information board, nothing to buy.
• A windy spot — hold your car door as you open it, and expect to be pushed about at the edge.
• The falls are far off — binoculars or a zoom lens turn a white streak into a waterfall.
• Not step-free — there is no wheelchair-accessible parking and no accessible entrance.

You arrive by car: no bus stop was found within 5 km of the viewpoint. The stop sits beside the road and the car park is at the viewpoint itself, so there is no walk in — you park, and the falls are in front of you across the water. Take the car park slowly. The entry and the exit are steep, and that short manoeuvre is the hardest part of getting here.

Better: summer, late in the day. The light lasts for hours in the Icelandic summer, and whales come into the fjord below the viewpoint.

Avoid: windy weather. The pull-off is exposed on every side and there is nowhere to shelter, so a gusty day cuts the stop short.

Because the waterfall is watched from a distance, clear air matters more here than the hour of the day.