Glymur Waterfall Elopement

Where

End of Hvalfjörður – about 60–70 minutes from Reykjavík

Best for

Active couples who are happy to hike in their wedding outfits – or change at the top

When

Roughly June to September, when the log bridge is in place

Good to know

A 7 km loop, 3–4 hours, with steep drops and slippery paths

The hike

The trail to Glymur is a loop of about seven kilometres with around four hundred metres of climbing, which takes three to four hours. From the free car park at the end of the valley, the path passes through a small cave and crosses the Botnsá river on a log – the log is usually in place only from about June to September. After that, the trail climbs along the edge of the canyon to viewpoints over the waterfall, and the return on the other side of the river is steep and less clearly marked.

Parts of the path run right along the cliff edge, and with rain or strong wind it becomes slippery and unpleasant. Outside summer, with snow, ice or high water, I would not plan it at all. The car park has no toilets and fills early on summer days.

Jess and Tim: when the weather says no

Jess and Tim planned to elope at the top of Glymur and celebrate with a whiskey toast at the summit. On the day, heavy rain and strong winds made the canyon edge unsafe, so at the last minute we moved the ceremony to Þórufoss, a waterfall a short drive away that can be reached without a hike. Their humanist officiant, Tryggvi Gunnarsson, led the vows in the pouring rain – and the film is one of my favourites exactly because of it. Later we still made it into the Glymur valley for portraits.

Hvalfjörður

Hvalfjörður, “whale fjord”, is a long, quiet fjord north of Reykjavík. Since the tunnel under its mouth opened in 1998 – toll-free since 2018 – most drivers skip the fjord completely, which leaves route 47 around it calm, with mountain views, small farms and places to stop by the water. The drive around the fjord to Glymur takes about an hour from the city.

Planning a Glymur elopement

• Plan B: Þórufoss and the Þingvellir area are both close by, so you can keep the ceremony flexible – see my Þingvellir guide.
• What to wear: hiking boots and waterproofs for the walk. Most couples change into their wedding outfits at the viewpoint.
• Who can come: the trail is not suitable for small children or anyone uncomfortable with heights.
• Timing: start early – the car park fills up, and you want time at the top without rushing.

More waterfalls for an elopement are in my guide to waterfall elopements in Iceland.