Dettifoss
| Dettifoss | |
|---|---|
 View from the east bank with a person for scale |
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| Location | Northeast Iceland |
| Coordinates | 65°49′18.91″N 16°23′17.41″W / 65.8219194°N 16.3881694°WCoordinates: 65°49′18.91″N 16°23′17.41″W / 65.8219194°N 16.3881694°W |
| Type | Cataract |
| Total height | 45 m (148 ft) |
| Number of drops | 1 |
| Watercourse | Jökulsá á Fjöllum |
| Average flow rate | 193 m3/s (6,816 cu ft/s)[1] |
Dettifoss is a waterfall in Vatnajökull National Park in Northeast Iceland, and is reputed to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe.[2]
It is situated on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, which flows from the Vatnajökull glacier and collects water from a large area in Northeast Iceland. The falls are 100 m wide and have a drop of 45 m down to the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. It is the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of volume discharge, having an average water flow of 193 m3/s.
The waterfall can be reached by a new tarmac road, finished in 2011. On the west bank there are no facilities and the view on the waterfall is somewhat hindered by the waterfall's spray. On the east bank there is an information panel maintained by the staff of Vatnajökull National Park (Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður) and a maintained track to the best viewpoints.
The closest populated areas include Vopnafjörður, Mývatn and Húsavík.
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[edit] Trivia
The musical composition 'Dettifoss' (Op.57) by Jón Leifs is inspired by this waterfall.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Northeast Iceland official travel website". http://www.nordausturland.is/perlur-svaedisins/dettifoss/. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
- ^ "Vatnajökull National Park's official web site". http://www.vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is/english/education/dettifoss/. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
- Leffman, David; and Proctor, James (2004). The Rough Guide To Iceland, Rough Guides, 281. ISBN 1-84353-289-1.
[edit] External links
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