Grundarfjörður

Park at the small lot opposite the waterfall and walk a few minutes to the best viewpoint. Come at sunrise or sunset for soft light, and in autumn and winter for a chance of northern lights above the peak. The climb to the summit is steep and exposed, and not recommended without experience.

The mountain is believed to have been an important place in Icelandic folklore, and Jules Verne used it as the entrance to the underworld in his novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Many people also associate it with mystical energy. The national park was established in 2001, and the glacier has shrunk considerably in recent decades.

Fishermen once gathered here, and these stones were used to test the strength of men who wanted to join a fishing boat's crew. The rusted remains on the beach are from the British trawler Epine, wrecked here in 1948. The smooth black pebbles, called "Djúpalón pearls", are protected, so leave them in place.