Vattarnes Sea Cliffs

Vattarnes sits on the outer coast of the East Fjords, where the land falls away to the sea and the road runs along the top of the drop. Google files it as a historical landmark, though nothing has been built here for visitors. The reward is the line of the fjord coastline and the open water beyond it. It is worth knowing that this view is close to what the whole eastern coast offers — a good vantage point rather than a distinct one. That makes Vattarnes a stop on a longer drive rather than a destination of its own.

• Gravel road: The coastal road at Vattarnes is unpaved and has been dug up for roadworks. Higher ground clearance makes the drive easier.
• Nowhere to pull in: Cars end up halted on the carriageway. If a vehicle is behind you, keep moving instead of stopping.
• Private land: A no-trespassing sign is posted above the cliffs. Look from the road and do not cross onto the land beyond it.

The cliffs lie on the coastal road 955, which follows the fjord shore in East Iceland, and the drive is the whole of the approach. The last stretch is unpaved — gravel, with sections dug up for roadworks — and a vehicle with decent ground clearance handles it better. There is no walk in: the cliffs are at the roadside, and what you see, you see from where the car stops.