Dynjandi is a waterfall that spreads like a bridal veil down the side of a mountain in the Westfjords, one of the most remote and least visited parts of Iceland. The water falls about a hundred metres in a series of steps, narrowing at the top to about thirty metres and widening at the bottom to about sixty, so that the whole thing looks like a great white fan, and at the foot of the main fall there are half a dozen smaller cascades, each with its own name, that you can climb past on a short path.
The setting is as good as the waterfall. Dynjandi pours into the Arnarfjörður fjord, a broad, steep-sided inlet with a few farms and a long, narrow coast road, and the sea beyond is often a deep, dark blue. The campsite at the bottom is simple, with a toilet block and a flat grassy field, and on a clear evening, with the waterfall roaring and the light turning the mountains pink, it is a wonderful place to stay. Fulmars nest on the cliffs, and arctic terns dive along the shore.
The road to Dynjandi is the real adventure. Route 60 crosses the high Dynjandisheiði moor from the south, a long gravel climb with bleak views and a steep, winding descent toward the fjord, and the surface can be loose, rutted and slippery after rain. The Westfjords are remote, and the weather can be fierce, with fog, rain and strong winds, so take care on the gravel and the blind bends. Summer is the only comfortable season, since many of the roads are closed or difficult in winter.
Fuel is the main practical concern. There is no station at Dynjandi, and the nearest large town is Ísafjörður, about thirty-eight kilometres away as the crow flies but much further by road, with a population of about 2,600. Bíldudalur and Þingeyri are smaller, with limited services. Fill up before you leave any town and carry spare if you can, since the Westfjords have long gaps between pumps. Bring waterproofs and warm layers, even in July, and keep an eye on the gravel.