On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
MissWimsey
I was so surprised by how accessible natural beauty was in Iceland. A lot of the waterfalls I visited were just off the Ring Road. I didn’t need to hike into the wilderness or up a mountain to see these beauties. To be sure, I did do some strenuous hikes. I tried to hike up to see the crater of the volcano that erupted in March. I made it about 3/4 or a mile, climbing about 850 feet, before I threw in the towel. But generally I found that in Iceland, nature’s beauty is accessible to everyone.
This is Öxarárfoss.
Gljufrabui is a small waterfall just north of Seljalandsfoss. I was able to walk maybe 600 meters to access this hidden gem, which you can see through the crack in the rock. I used stepping stone to get inside the narrow canyon.
Behold: Gljufrabui!
Skogafoss is one of most accessible of the falls that I saw. No stairs to climb, no incline. There are staircases beside the waterfall that one can climb to see the falls from the top. I made the climb. I would have liked to take the trail at the top to see another waterfall but the wind was really strong. As I was driving north of this waterfall, I saw a convoy of police cars, ambulances, firetrucks heading south. I figured something had happened but I let it go until I learned on Friday that the wind had knocked over a little camper van not far from this site. The weather in Iceland is no joke.
Ægissíðufoss.
This waterfall was the last stop on my guided day trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula, an experience that closed out a fantastic seven days in Iceland.
Cermet
Did you go to the fault line that separates the North American and the European tectonic plates – the place the continents are moving apart at a rate of about a centimeter a year? I understand it is a clear stream that runs along it. People (with wet suits) swim it.
JeanneT
Waterfalls!! Beautiful.
J R in WV
Amazing waterfalls. There are quite a few in WV, but nothing like these from Iceland. We have thought about visiting Iceland sooner, as it seems to have coped with the Covid disaster better than many we would like to tour.
Thanks for the great photo essays!
Leslie
Gorgeous. Thanks again!
Wag
Great photos of some of the most photogenic waterfalls anywhere. Without tree to give perspective, it is sometimes hard to judge the size of the falls. Imagine a Niagara sized waterfall every 30-40 miles, and you’ll have a good idea of what Iceland is like.
stinger
What makes waterfalls so compelling? Great photos, thanks for sharing!
eclare
I love the moss!
susanna
Good pictures of nature’s visual gifts of waterfalls, and these are eye-popping. Thanks!
YY_Sima Qian
Ahh, Iceland! Definitely on my bucket list!
BrianM
@Cermet: My wife went snorkeling there. “It was cold. It was blue. Not much vegetation. Not my favorite snorkel.”
There’s a place up north, Strýtan, with an accessible underwater hydrothermal vent. What with living in Illinois, she didn’t have enough experience with a dry suit to be able to reach it.
sab
These are amazing. I happen to be reading a bit of a book set in Iceland. These photos are amazing, and make all of the book characters daft decisions make complete sense
. spoiler: Facts being what they were they shouldn’t have survived but actually they did.They survived.
MissWimsey
@Cermet: I didn’t quite get there. Silfra, where the snorkeling takes place, is within Thingvellir National Park (I think) but when I started walking, I went in the opposite direction. By the time I was done exploring that end of the park, I had enough energy to get back to the parking lot.
MissWimsey
@sab: ooh sounds interesting. Care to share the title? I don’t know about you, but sometimes when reading a book, I have googled locations to get a sense of what the scene is describing, whether it’s a house, a street, the make of a car or a particular piece of fashion. It adds depth to my reading experience :)