Glanni Waterfall & Paradísarlaut: An Easy Stop near Bifröst

If you are driving the Ring Road north from The Hvítá Inn, Glanni waterfall is one of the easiest worthwhile stops in West Iceland. It sits on the salmon river Norðurá just outside Bifröst, and reaching it takes only a short walk on a flat, marked path. Add the sheltered green hollow of Paradísarlaut next door and you have a proper leg-stretcher that costs nothing and takes well under an hour.

What Glanni actually looks like

Glanni is broad rather than tall: several side-by-side streams of the Norðurá drop over ledges in the mossy Grábrókarhraun lava field. A wooden viewing platform gives you the full width of it. The Norðurá is one of Iceland’s better-known salmon rivers, so in summer you may see fish working their way upstream, and often a fly-fisher or two on the far bank. Icelandic folklore holds that elves and trolls live in and around the falls, which is why you will sometimes see it described as a dwelling place for the huldufólk, the hidden people.

Paradísarlaut, the paradise hollow

A few minutes’ walk further along the trail is Paradísarlaut, whose name translates roughly as “paradise hollow.” It is a sheltered, vegetated depression in the lava with a small dark pool, fed by water seeping out from under the Grábrókarhraun field. It is quieter than the main viewpoint, out of the wind, and a good spot to sit for a few minutes before heading back to the car.

Getting there and practical details

Driving north on Route 1, watch for the turn toward Glanni just before Bifröst, signposted by the Glanni golf course. Park by the golf course and follow the marked path.

• Getting there: about 30 minutes north of The Hvítá Inn on Ring Road 1, just before Bifröst; roughly 30 km north of Borgarnes.
• Duration: around 5 to 10 minutes’ walk each way from the car park; 30 to 45 minutes to see both Glanni and Paradísarlaut.
• What to bring: sturdy shoes for the uneven lava path, a windproof layer, and a camera; there are no facilities on site beyond the seasonal golf-club café.
• When to go: summer for green moss, high water and possible salmon; any dry, calm day works, as the walk is short and low-effort.

Grábrók, the walk-up volcanic crater, is only about 5 minutes further up the road, so it is easy to pair the two on the same drive.

Where to Stay

The The Hvítá Inn sits on the bank of the Hvítá river at Hvítárbakki near Borgarnes, which puts you about 30 minutes’ drive south of Glanni and squarely on the West Iceland circuit north of Reykjavík. That makes it a natural base for an unhurried morning at Glanni and Grábrók before carrying on. Rooms have private bathrooms, and it is roughly 75 minutes from Reykjavík. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: Hedwig Storch via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.