Dettifoss
Dettifoss is situated on the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum which originates as melt water from the Vatnajökull glacier as well as collecting water from a large area in north-east of Iceland. Dettifoss in Europe’s most powerful waterfall in terms of the sheer volume of water that flows over the 100 metre or 330ft drop to the gorge below.
I tried to reach Dettifoss on my previous visit Iceland. You can read about that attempt here, suffice to say, Iceland’s winter weather beat us. Given that the pictures below were taken in May and we tried to visit in February, it’s not really surprising we didn’t make it. I was glad to have been able to visit this time and hope you enjoy the pictures I brought back.
In the first picture below, I transferred a figure from the cliff in the top right of the picture to the edge of the falls on the other side of the river to give an idea of scale. You can just make them out, right on the edge. The opposite side of the river is only accessible in the summer sadly. This is where you can get really close to the river bank and the falls. I’ll have to save that for another visit.
The final photograph is of Selfoss. This waterfall is just a little upstream of Dettifoss. At just 11 metres in height, Selfoss is dwarfed by Dettifoss but a nice waterfall nonetheless. You’ve probably gathered by now, from this post and others about waterfalls in Iceland, that the Icelandic word for waterfall is foss. There are hundreds of waterfalls in Iceland so when travelling around, if you see something ‘foss’ on the map, it’s probably worth investigating. If you like waterfalls that is.. :-)
42mm f/10 1/400 sec. ISO-100
117mm f/8 1/1000 sec. ISO-100
14mm f/11 1/200 sec. ISO-100
87mm f/8 1/1000 sec. ISO-100
14mm f/11 1/200 sec. ISO-100
69mm f/9 1/320 sec. ISO-100
Cornwall Photographic 
Good work, great set of images
June 5, 2015 at 5:39 pm
Thank you Malc! Appreciate your comment.
June 5, 2015 at 7:48 pm
Wow, stunning images Adrian! What a fabulous place in the sheer vast scale of it…took me a moment to find your figure – well done for including as only then can we get an idea of the enormity of this place! :)
June 5, 2015 at 6:17 pm
Thank you Sue. I moved the figure because it was lost on the cliff and it’s still not easy to spot even with the backdrop of white snow simply because the scale is so vast. It really is an incredible waterfall. I can’t wait for my next visit so I can get to stand where the figure is. Difficult to believe the road that side of the waterfall was still closed in May. I really wasn’t expecting that. I think it was only possible to get to where I took the pictures becuase it’s a tourist attraction naturally, and a special effort was made to clear the road.
June 5, 2015 at 7:48 pm
Amazing! So when do you go back?
June 5, 2015 at 8:07 pm
October.. I can’t wait Sue! :-)
June 5, 2015 at 8:48 pm
Well, let’s hope Cornwall can keep you occupied until then! Patience! 😉
June 5, 2015 at 8:49 pm
I’ve got quite a bit to keep me occupied. It’ll be October before we know it. I have every intention of making the most of the summer however. I was down at Chapel Porth the other day, absolutely beautiful in the sunshine! :-)
June 5, 2015 at 8:53 pm
Don’t make Tempus Fugit any quicker than it needs to!! 😧
June 5, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Absolutely now.. If only we could slow down that clock. It just seems to get faster with each passing year..
June 5, 2015 at 9:22 pm
It’s our age…… 😢
June 6, 2015 at 6:23 am
:-)
June 6, 2015 at 7:32 am
What a great spot! And you had access to wonderful viewpoints. Well done. :-)
June 5, 2015 at 6:23 pm
Thank you Frank!
June 5, 2015 at 7:43 pm
I hope you’re not getting tired of me telling you how spectacular your Iceland images are…because they are!
June 5, 2015 at 6:58 pm
Thank you Edith! It’s always nice to hear. I appreciate your comments always! :-)
June 5, 2015 at 7:43 pm
Fabulous captures! My then 5-year-old son had my heart in my mouth as we were able to make it to Dettifoss and there he stood, as proud as punch, as close to the edge as he was allowed/possible (not sure the two were the same, however…) with the biggest grin on his face. And there’s me trying to play it cool by saying… “let me take a quick photo of you so that you come back to allow others to get their photos. Okay?” Oh the memories!
June 5, 2015 at 8:41 pm
I can imagine that was quite a tense moment for you Joanne! I’m glad I was able to bring back some good memories for you.. I think :-)
June 5, 2015 at 8:50 pm
They were EXCEPTIONALLY good memories as my parents had only just sailed into Reykjavik the previous day hence we were doing the “tourist” trail with/for them – such wonderful memories for all of us. Although I should say my now 12-year-old daughter who was three at the time is asking for a “re-do” as she really only remembers her three years in Iceland from photos. One day… may be…
June 5, 2015 at 9:07 pm
Spectacular shots ChillB ! So glad you were able to make it there after the disappointing attempt earlier in the year … the little figure really does show the scale of this waterfall wonder :-)
I rather like the look of that pristine black beach on the lower reaches of Selfoss … not a foot print to be seen ;-)
June 5, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Thank you Poppy! It was good to finally make it to this incredible waterfall. Even at a distance, you can really feel the power and the noise is incredible.. There may be a way down to that little beach, you never know. The gorge isn’t too deep at this point! We’ll have to take a look later in the year.. ;-) x
June 5, 2015 at 9:20 pm
Oh, oh, oh. Your images leave me speechless…
June 5, 2015 at 9:48 pm
Iceland does that to you Jude! Thank you! :-)
June 6, 2015 at 7:29 am
Incredible, yes. Impressive. So mighty, and you show the strength in nature. It must have been such an exprerience.
June 5, 2015 at 11:53 pm
It was really was a wonderful experience Bente, Thank you!
June 6, 2015 at 7:31 am
What thrilling scenery. I bet the power generated by those falls exhilarating. How wonderful that you had a chance to visit and that you made it to this spectacular place this time.
June 6, 2015 at 1:08 am
I was very happy to have made it Gunta! Thank you!
June 6, 2015 at 7:32 am
Truly majestic Adrian, and you really get a sense of the power of the water
June 6, 2015 at 4:52 pm
Thank you Mark. You mention the power of the water, it hasn’t gone unnoticed in other quarters and there are currently plans to install some kind of hydroelectric plant at this waterfall. The current Icelandic government, like most governments it seems, bow to the whims of the corporate sector and many in Iceland are reacting against the increases in tourism as well as installations like the one planned here that have little regard for the environment. THere is talk of national strikes in retaliation against this new trend so there is hope. Iceland needs protecting!
June 6, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Reblogged this on Ceece's Travel and commented:
I am in love with the Scale here. Crazy Crazy dimensions. WOW! :-) Great Photography
June 7, 2015 at 3:25 pm
Thank you very much Ceece! :-)
June 7, 2015 at 3:49 pm
Fantastic stuff! Very inspirational, both in a photographic sense and in a “live-life sense :-) #LoveandTravelHugs©
June 7, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Thank you Ceece! :-)
June 7, 2015 at 9:03 pm
I, too, am glad you made it there :) Great shots! Thanks for sharing.
June 7, 2015 at 4:09 pm
Thank you for looking Camilla! It really was great to have finally made it there!
June 7, 2015 at 6:30 pm
looks so powerful :)
June 9, 2015 at 1:43 pm
It is an awesome waterfall Joshi! :)
June 9, 2015 at 9:09 pm
Absolutely beautiful scenery, Adrian…and so well captured. Thank you for bringing it back and sharing it with us. :)
June 11, 2015 at 1:36 pm
Thank you very much Scott! It was a pleasure! :)
June 12, 2015 at 5:44 pm
Really magnificent scenery, Adrian. Your photos are absolutely awe inspiring. The figure looks so tiny in the vastness, and I love your rainbow shot. :)
June 11, 2015 at 6:41 pm
Thank you Sylvia. The sun was behind us allowing for the rainbow and slowly but surely as the sun moved around, the rainbow was getting closer to the falls. I would have preferred it a little closer but we had to get on, other places to be.. :-)
June 12, 2015 at 5:46 pm
hiya im new to wordprees and id love it if you could all check out mdy page talkingplenty.wordpress.com and WOW these images are truly amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 11, 2015 at 9:04 pm
Thank you very much!
June 12, 2015 at 5:46 pm
I wish I could hear the thunder of the water too. Your images have been a revelation – I had never realized that Iceland had so many waterfalls. I searched for that figure you moved in the first image and then finally spotted him – tiny. Certainly gives a sense of scale.
June 14, 2015 at 9:06 am
Iceland in the land of waterfalls Andy and every Icelander, and I’m sure visitor too, has a favourite. The jury is still out on my favourite but for sheer power and size, Dettifoss has to be right up there. I’m looking forward to my autumn trip when I’ll be able to stand where that tiny figure I moved is standing.. I think at that point, Dettifoss will probably become my favourite as I’ll hopefully get the angle on the waterfall I’d like to get! :-)
June 14, 2015 at 3:00 pm
The ‘close ups’ and rainbows are lovely but, for me, the last really gives an impression of the drama in the landscape.
June 14, 2015 at 5:14 pm
Thank you Noeline and I agree with you totally. :-)
June 14, 2015 at 6:41 pm
Power and majesty captured. Only you are able to harness the view in this way. Wonderful!
June 14, 2015 at 10:30 pm
Thank you very so much Elena! :-)
June 17, 2015 at 8:29 am
It was nice to see how much power can have nature on this photos…
June 17, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Certainly a huge amount of power in this waterfall! Thank you! :-)
June 17, 2015 at 5:27 pm
Such powers in that water in the Icelandic waterfalls. And you have captured them beautifully. Stunning!
June 19, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Thank you Otto. Iceland is an island full of majestic sights like this one. The power of Dettifoss is immense and a real thrill to see it person. The more of Iceland I see, the more I love it.
June 19, 2015 at 4:20 pm