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Places of Interest

Keilir

Keilir Map Mt Keilir is a hyaloclastite mountain on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It was created by sub-glacial eruptions during the Ice Age. Its shape makes it distinctive and according to geologists, it is probably a crater plug. In spite of its steep slopes, it is not too difficult to climb, and the view from its top on a fine day is to be remembered.

Hengill is a cluster of mountains just outside Reykjavik, Iceland's capital and largest city. One of Hengill's most distinguishing features is an extensive, beautiful geothermal area with natural hot springs and colourful steam vents. A number of scenic mountain tracks weave their way through the mountains, where travellers can dip a toe or more in natural hotspots and feel fatigue drain from their bodies.

The Botnsa river runs from the second-deepest lake in Iceland, Hvalvatn (525 ft.), into the sea at Hvalfjordur. Botnsa river passes through a magnificent canyon, into which spills Iceland's highest waterfall, Glymur, which is around 650 ft. high and popular for wintertime ice climbing. People wonder about the derivation of the place names in this area and one delightful folktale, telling the story of Raudhofdi, explains the origins of some of them.

Tindur

Tindur Map Tindur rises imposingly from the Tindfjoll mountains to the southeast of the Tindfjallajokull glacier. There are magnificent views from the mountain. You can see the Thorsmork nature area, two glaciers on the south coast, and Mt. Hekla - Iceland's most frequently erupting and most famous volcano.

Katla is one of the largest volcanoes in Iceland and a difficult neighbour. The broad summit is buried under Myrdalsjokull glacier's thick, icy blanket. When Katla starts to simmer, the threat of a powerful eruption under the ice develops. An eruption causes a glacial burst, forcing a vast quantity of melt water out from under the ice. It doesn't last long but the volume of water in the resulting catastrophic flood can reach an average flow rate equal to that of the largest river in the world, the Amazon.

As the year 1783 was ushered in, a wave of devastating earthquakes swept across Iceland's south and southeast, laying waste to 90 settlements. In June of that same year, another catastrophe, that's become known as "The Fires of the Skafta River" began with enormous volcanic eruptions along a 15-mile-long fissure called Lakagigar, named after the mountain Laki at its midpoint. The eruptions were the single greatest catastrophe in the recorded history if Iceland. For the next nine months, ash and poisonous gases spewed out of the row of craters on the fissure, and so did the largest lava flow since the last ice age (420 trillion cubic ft. spread over 230 sq. miles)!

Mountains in the distance take on a bluish hue. Blafell (the blue mountain) guards southern approaches to the Kjolur region of central Iceland. It's an old tuff mountain formed during an eruption beneath a glacier and reaches a height of 3,950 ft. In face, Blafell gives us a good indication of glaciers during the period of its formation. It's the highest peak (apart from glaciers) in southwestern Iceland.

Before the days of motorised transport, the road over Kjolur was the most frequently travelled north-south route in Iceland. Kjolur is the name given to the high band of country that forms a major watershed between the Langjokull and Hofsjokull glaciers. Kjolur means, "keel" and indeed the landscape resembles an upturned boat. The area is in fact a broad pass between two large glaciers and, as such, is subject to sudden unpredictable and dramatic weather changes.

The twin peaks of the Sulur Mountains are a familiar sight from the relatively large northern Icelandic town of Akureyri. The Ytri-Sula peak rises close to the town, while a little further to the south is Sydri-Sula - the higher of the two summits, at 3,980 ft. These mountains were formed mainly from light-colored rhyolite, a result of volcanic activity between eight and nine million years ago. The acidic rocks of the Sulur are flakier than the basalt that's characteristic of the surrounding hills. It's possible that rhyolite on the top of the Sulur has formed extensive scree-slopes that cover older basalt layers. If this is the case, the core of the Sulur built up in a series of eruptions in the same way as most other mountains in the area, but the rhyolite became much more pronounced in recent times.

On March 29th, 1875, a violent eruption in the Dyngjufjoll Mountains finally marked the end of the Askja eruptions. This explosive eruption formed the crater Viti, north of Askja Lake. In a pure explosive eruption, molten rock material (magma) is forced to the earth's surface, shattering into volcanic fragments (tephra) when it comes into contact with groundwater in lava channels.

Askja is an active volcano in the Odadahraun area, north of the Vatnajokull glacier. Askja formed during a period of intense volcanic activity. A magma chamber beneath Askja emptied back into the earth during successive eruptions, which has caused the floor of the crater to sink.

Esja is, in fact, a mountainous mass near Reykjavik covering an area so large that each side of the mountain has it's own particular characteristics. The residents of Reykjavik consider Mt. Esja their own. Interest in outdoor activities on and near Esja has been increasing markedly, including ice climbing up frozen waterfalls!

Eldgja

Eldgjá is a volcanic canyon in Iceland. Eldgjá and the nearby Laki craters are part of the same volcanic system as Katla in the south of the country. Eldgjá means "fire canyon" in Icelandic. Situated between Landmannalaugar and Kirkjubæjarklaustur, the canyon is at its greatest 270m deep and 600m wide. It was discovered by Þorvaldur Þoroddsen in 1803.

Basar

Valley Basar is a part of the rugged Godaland Area between the river Hruna and Gorge Hvannargil south of River Krossa. The westernmost part of Mt Rettarfell (503m) is directly opposite to Valley Langidalur. The flat peak Hattur decorates the easternmost part of this mountain, and along with Mts Utigonguhofdi and Heidarhorn create the frame around Valley Basar with its steep and rocky mound Bolfell.

Vik i Myrdal

This is the southernmost coastal hamlet of the country and the only one without a harbour. The flat, black beach south of the village was declared one of the 10 most beautiful island beaches of the world by the Iceland Magazine. Amphibious vehicles are used for deep sea angling, fishing and highly interesting sightseeing tours along the coastline all the way to the country's southernmost point, Dyrholaey.

Langjokull

Langjökull is, after the Vatnajökull, the second-largest of the glaciers of Iceland (1.021 km2). It is situated in the west of the Icelandic Interior or Highlands of Iceland and can be seen clearly from Haukadalur. It's highest peak reaches 1360 metres (4460 ft). The glacier is located at 64°45 N 19°59 W.

Laugavegur

The Laugavegur is a famous trekking route in South-West Iceland from the hot springs area of Landmannalaugar to the glacial valley of Þórsmörk. It is noted for the wide variety of landscapes that are experienced in just 55km. The route is typically completed over 2-4 days with potential stops at the mountain huts at Hraftinnusker, Álftavatn and Emstrur. An ultramarathon is held on the route each July. It is possible to combine the trek with the Fimmvörðuháls route which goes over the pass from Þórsmörk to Skógar.

Thorsmork

Þórsmörk is a valley in Iceland that was named after the Germanic god Thor (Þór). It is situated in the south of Iceland between the glaciers Tindfjallajökull and Eyjafjallajökull. Here, the river Krossá winds between the mountains. In the protected valley, there is green vegetation including moss, fern and birchwood. The Krossá is a very cold river coming down from the glaciers. It is dangerous to cross the river, but a bridge has been installed for pedestrians.

Vatnajokull

Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Iceland. It is located in the south-east of the island, covering more than 8% of the country. With an area of 8,100 km², Vatnajökull is the largest ice cap in Europe by volume (3,100 km³) and the second largest (after Austfonna on Nordaustlandet, Svalbard). The average thickness of the ice is thus 400 m, with a maximum thickness of 1,000 m. Iceland's highest peak, Hvannadalshnúkur (2,109.6 m), is located in the southern periphery of Vatnajökull.

Hekla

Hekla is a stratovolcano located in the south of Iceland with a height of 1,491 metres (4,892 ft). Hekla is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes; over 20 eruptions have occurred in and around the volcano since 874. During the Middle Ages, Icelanders called the volcano the "Gateway to Hell." Hekla is part of a volcanic ridge, 40 kilometres (25 mi) long. However, the most active part of this ridge, a fissure about 5.5 km (3.4 mi) long named Heklugjá, is considered to be the volcano Hekla proper. Hekla looks rather like an overturned boat, with its keel being in fact a series of craters, two of which are generally the most active.

Heidmork

Heiðmörk was proclaimed a municipal conservation area of Reykjavík in 1950. It is located southeast of Elliðavatn, Iceland, and is about 6 miles (9.7 km) from the city of Reykjavík. Its name is derived from its namesake in Norway. The total area of the conservation area is 2,800 acres (11 km2). It is a popular recreational area in Iceland. Heiðmörk is where Reykjavík's water reservoirs and drinking water wells are located. Rauðhólar are notable natural formation of Heiðmörk, a cluster of red coloured pseudocraters.

Snaefell

There are three volcanoes with the name Snæfell in Iceland: The famous mountain Snæfellsjökull with its big glacier on top lies to the west of the island (1446 m). The higher of the other two volcanoes by the name Snæfell (1833 m) is situated in the north-east of Vatnajökull. It is a rather large central volcano dominating its surrounding area by about 1000 m. Not far from there, the controversial power station Kárahnjúkar has been constructed in the Highlands of Iceland. A less well-known mountain of 1383 m is to be found to the south-east of the Vatnajökull near the famous glacier lake Jökulsárlón.

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