Goðafoss

What makes it special

At Goðafoss, the river Skjálfandafljót, which rises at the edge of the Vatnajökull icecap, drops 12 metres over a width of 30 metres. It breaks into two main falls and several smaller channels, and they meet again in a horseshoe-shaped basin below.

What you see depends on the season and the water. In winter, ice builds up around the falls and some sections freeze. High flow fills the gaps between the channels, while lower water shows more of the dark rock between them.

Each bank gives a different picture. The west bank looks down from higher ground across the full curve. The east bank platform stands at river level, right in front of the falls, and looks straight into the water.

The name comes from goð, the Icelandic word for gods. Legend says that around the year 1000 the lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði threw his statues of the Norse gods into these falls, to mark Iceland's conversion to Christianity.

Visiting

Park at the west car park, just off the Ring Road, and walk the path of about 400 metres to the main viewpoint above the falls.

Then cross the pedestrian bridge a short way downstream to the east bank, so you see both sides without moving the car. On the Fosshóll side, a trail leads on to a second viewing platform down by the water. With only a few minutes to spare, stay on the west bank, where the view takes in the whole curve.

If toilets or food matter more than the high view, start on the east side at Fosshóll instead, where the café is, and do the walk the other way round.

Tips

Spray drifts across both viewpoints, so wear a waterproof layer and wipe your lens between shots with a microfibre cloth. For long exposures, pack a set of neutral density filters.

Stay behind the ropes and barriers near the edge. The rock beyond them is slippery from spray, and the plants they protect are fragile.