Dynjandi Waterfall
Dynjandi, also known as Fjallfoss and often called the Jewel of the Westfjords, is a 100-metre waterfall on Arnarfjörður in the remote Westfjords of Iceland, cascading in a distinctive trapezoidal shape that widens from 30 metres at the top to 60 metres at the base. The name means thunderous in Icelandic, and the roar is audible well before the waterfall comes into view. It is the largest waterfall in the Westfjords and forms the uppermost of a series of seven named cascades that descend the same cliff face. A 15-minute hiking trail from the car park on Route 60 passes all six of the smaller falls before reaching the foot of Dynjandi itself, making the approach as rewarding as the destination. The whole area was protected as a natural monument in 1981.
A 100-Metre Bridal-Veil Waterfall in the Remote Westfjords, with Six More Falls on the Way Up
Dynjandi sits at the head of Dynjandisvogur bay on Arnarfjörður, the second largest fjord in the Westfjords, on rock that is among the oldest in Iceland at 10 to 15 million years. The waterfall forms where the Dynjandisá river drops off the edge of the Dynjandisheiði plateau, and the trapezoidal shape results from the layered structure of the basalt and softer sedimentary rock beneath it, with the harder basalt resisting erosion while softer material wears away below. The flow rate reaches up to 8 cubic metres per second in summer when snowmelt is at its peak, and the sound carries across the fjord at high flow. The area below the main fall includes vivid bands of rust-red iron-rich soil in the cliff face, visible at close range on the trail and entirely unexpected in the otherwise grey and green landscape.
The trail from the car park to the base of Dynjandi is approximately 1 kilometre and gains around 200 metres in elevation, taking around 15 minutes at a steady pace. Along the way it passes six smaller waterfalls, each with their own name: Bæjarfoss, Hundafoss, Hrísvaðsfoss, Göngumannafoss, Strompgljúfrafoss, and Hæstahjallafoss, in ascending order. One of these, Göngumannafoss, can be walked behind, and the trail passes close enough to several others to feel their spray. The trail itself was built by volunteers in 1996 and is well maintained. The combined effect of moving through all seven falls in sequence before arriving at Dynjandi makes this one of the more structurally satisfying hikes in Iceland.
Dynjandi is free to visit and accessible from late spring to early autumn via Route 60 through the Westfjords. The road to the car park is signposted and the site has toilet facilities. The main road past Dynjandi can close in winter due to snow and conditions should be checked before travelling in autumn and spring. From Ísafjörður the drive takes approximately two hours south along Route 60. From Reykjavík the fastest approach is via the Westfjords ferry from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur, then Route 60 north, which takes around five to six hours in total. Dynjandi is the most visited natural attraction in the Westfjords and a natural centrepiece of any Westfjords itinerary.
