From a small hill, with Snæfellsjökull glacier as backdrop, falls a fantastic two-tiered, 10-meter-high square-shaped waterfall. Svöðufoss is surrounded by towering basalt columns that resemble organ pipes, and square blocks of shattered rocks close to the edge giving the location a dynamic feel. The basalt columns cluster together to form an intricate cliff wall. The uniformity and precision of the columns appear almost manmade in their precision and are truly amazing. The terrain surrounding the waterfall is distinctive, it embraces it, and almost conceals it. The waterfall is visible from a distance through a heart-shaped opening in the landscape. There is an easy 50-meter-long hike up a hill to the left, where a fantastic top view of the waterfall and the pool below is available. On a good clear day with the glacier in the background and the waterfall lit up by the sun in front, this location will offer a stunning opportunity for a once in a lifetime filming.
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Accessibility
From the main road, you drive 1.6 kilometers to a large parking lot. There is a 600-meter-long path that leads you straight to the base of the waterfall. You could hike the hill left of the waterfall for 50 meters to get a top view of it. If you want to bring more gear, you could use an old road, a little bit further inland from the parking lot to bring the equipment up but would need a 4-wheeler as the road is breached.
Services nearby
There are lots of hotel options around this area. Snæfellsnes Peninsula is one of Iceland’s most visited tourist places with all the services you might need for your production. The nearest hospital is in Stykkishólmur, 70 kilometres away.
Permits
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Basecamp and facilities
There is a large parking lot 600 meters from the waterfall that could be used as a basecamp. There are no facilities at this location. Phone coverage is excellent.
Risk factors
The hike up to the waterfall can be dangerous. The slopes are very steep, rocky and slippery from the spray of the waterfall. The rock face surrounding the waterfall is loose and stones of various sizes can fall without warning. There is a 10-meter vertical drop from the cliffs above and standing close to the edge is not advised.
Visitors
The area is a medium tourist attraction. Visitors hike up to the waterfall for the perfect picture.
Svöðufoss is a popular waterfall with photographers.
Closing this location should not be a problem with appropriate permission and permit.
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