Gluggafoss () is a

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...

in southern

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

, specifically in the Fljótshlíð area. As the most prominent member of a series of waterfalls running from the river Merkjá , it is also known as Merkjárfoss ; both names are acknowledged on an on-site signpost. The waterfall is accessible off Route 261, some from the closest major town, Hvolsvöllur (which in turn is east of

Reykjavík Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a po ...

). Gluggafoss has a total height of approximately and features two main drops: one for into a narrow recess, then another for a further (in three main channels). The cliff supporting Gluggafoss has an upper

palagonite Palagonite is an alteration product from the interaction of water with volcanic glass of chemical composition similar to basalt. Palagonite can also result from the interaction between water and basalt melt. The water flashes to steam on contact w ...

(or tuff rock) portion and a lower

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90 ...

portion. Distinctive of Gluggafoss' geology are the holes and tunnels formed by the river through the soft palagonite. Known in Icelandic as ''gluggar'', or 'windows', these holes allow observers at the base of the waterfall to see partly obscured water flow. According to the on-site signpost, the upper half of the waterfall could be seen only through three such vertically arranged holes prior to 1947.

Hekla Hekla (), or Hecla, is a stratovolcano in the south of Iceland with a height of . Hekla is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes; over 20 eruptions have occurred in and around the volcano since 874. During the Middle Ages, the Icelandic Nor ...

, roughly north-northeast, erupted in that year, filling the river Merkjá and the tunnels of Gluggafoss with

volcanic ash Volcanic ash consists of fragments of rock, mineral crystals, and volcanic glass, created during volcanic eruptions and measuring less than 2 mm (0.079 inches) in diameter. The term volcanic ash is also often loosely used to refer ...

; this severely diminished the waterfall's exterior visibility for decades. Since then, however, erosion has undone the blockages. Small trails on the adjacent hills allow visitors to see both drops of the waterfall up close, and also to obtain a view from above.

Seljalandsfoss Seljalandsfoss () is a waterfall in Iceland. Seljalandsfoss is located in the South Region in Iceland right by Route 1 and the road that leads to Þórsmörk Road 249. The waterfall drops and is part of the Seljalands River that has its origin i ...

is another waterfall nearby and of similar (or larger) size.

Gallery

File:Merkjárfoss1.JPG, View from base File:Gluggafoss August 2018 5.jpg, View of the river Merkjá over the second drop File:Gluggafoss August 2018 1.jpg, The higher drop

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gluggafoss Waterfalls of Iceland

Gallery

See also

References