Gullfoss, the golden falls, is the great set piece of the Golden Circle, the tourist route that links Þingvellir, Geysir and the waterfall in a long day out of Reykjavík. The river Hvítá, fed by the glacier Langjökull, comes sliding down a gentle slope and then drops in two stages, first a broad step of about eleven metres and then, at right angles, a plunge of twenty-one metres into a narrow, twisting canyon. The spray rises in a cloud, and in sunshine there is almost always a rainbow over it.
There is a story attached to the falls that Icelanders tell with pride. In the early twentieth century, foreign investors wanted to use the river to make electricity, and the owner of the land, a farmer, leased it to them. His daughter, Sigríður Tómasdóttir, is remembered as the woman who campaigned against the scheme, walking to Reykjavík to find a lawyer, and the deal eventually collapsed. Today the falls are protected, and a small memorial stands near the path.
You can walk right to the edge of the upper fall, along a path that is slippery with spray, or look down from the platform above. The canyon below is cut into basalt, and the water inside it is a boiling, roaring grey, an impressive sight. In summer the car park is crowded with coaches, and in winter the path can be icy, with the falls draped in ice, so wear good boots. The best time to visit is early in the morning or late in the evening, when the crowds are fewer and the light is softer.
The riding on the Golden Circle is easy, on good tarmac, with long views across lava fields and pastures, but the wind can be fierce, especially on the open stretches, and rain can arrive in minutes. Pumps are mostly unmanned, and need a card with a PIN, so keep it handy.