Gluggafoss (Merkjárfoss)

Hvolsvollur / Fljotsdalur, South Region (Suðurland), Iceland

About Gluggafoss (Merkjárfoss)

For Subscribers Only. See Membership Options.

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Gluggafoss (“Window Falls”?) was another one of those unexpected waterfalls where we didn’t plan on seeing it prior to the trip, but then we chanced upon it while randomly driving about in the Fljotsdalur area between Hvolsvöllur and Seljalandsfoss. What made this seemingly obscure waterfall memorable to us was its inverted trident shape. Apparently we weren’t alone in finding something alluring about this waterfall because we were surprised to see a handful of other photographers who were also interested in photographing this falls.

Even though the falls was easily visible from the road 261, there was a short path that took us pretty close to the base of the falls (as shown in the photo at the top of this page). During our visit, we just so happened to start getting some morning sun, which was perfect as this south facing waterfall was starting to contrast well with the green-matted cliffs and the hint of blue skies behind it.

Speaking of cliffs, like with Seljalandsfoss, this waterfall apparently also plunge over an escarpment that was once part of the coastline of Iceland in the last Ice Age.

In addition to Gluggafoss, we also saw a handful of other interesting (albeit obscure) waterfalls along the road through Fljotsdalur east of Hvolsvöllur. We didn’t know it at the time, but apparently this was part of the so-called Saga Trail as apparently this area was rich in stories told by the early inhabitants of the country.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.

Related Top 10 Lists

No Posts Found

Trip Planning Resources


Nearby Accommodations

This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.

Tagged with: hvolsvollur, fljotsdalur, saga trail, thorsmork, gljufurarfoss, south region, sudurland, southern iceland, iceland, waterfall, trident, seljalandsfoss, window



Visitor Comments:

Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...

No users have replied to the content on this page


Share your thoughts about what you've read on this page

You must be logged in to submit content. Refresh this page after you have logged in.

Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:

If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...

Gluggafoss in Iceland: “windows” indeed January 17, 2015 5:48 pm by Ingrid - Partially inspired by this site, I have recently visited Iceland to see some of its amazing waterfalls in real life. I wanted to add my pictures of Gluggafoss, which might help to explain its name. "Gluggi" seems to translate as window. As you can see, when less water is flowing, the waterfall seems to fall… ...Read More

Have you been to a waterfall? Submit a write-up/review and share your experiences or impressions

Review A Waterfall

Nearest Waterfalls



How To Build A Profitable Travel Blog In 4 Steps