We had three nights at a very pleasant hotel overlooking the Myvatn landscape with even the steam from the geothermal outlets visible from time to time. Although we woke to sunshine that first morning, the weather was completely unpredictable so we decided to deal with the local attractions before venturing further afield. Even the local weather forecast suggested that road conditions were tricky for a trip to Detifoss.
Our first stop was at the pseudo-crater area.
Apparently “pseudocraters” form on Earth as lava runs over wet sediment or into the sea. Most of Earth’s pseudocraters are in Iceland and they are rare elsewhere. Scientific interest in them has increased after the discovery of similar phenomena on Mars. The pseudocraters by Lake Myvatn are amongst the largest and most beautifully shaped on Earth.
The Myvatn pseudocraters were formed as lava entered a large lake (a precursor of Lake Myvatn), trapping its wet sediment underneath.
The circular walk around the craters, climbing to the top of two of them and then back to the car park, was easy to follow despite the fresh snow.
The small village nearby had a well-maintained church which was different from the usual cream and red buildings we had become used to. Inside it was simple and yet, in its own way ornate with huge chandeliers and an impressive painting behind the altar.
We lingered awhile, finding this a challenging photographic opportunity!
And then it was off to the Dimmuborgir Lava Formations where we found not only some big landscape views but also all the passengers from the MV Hamburg which was in Akureyri for the day! To be honest, there are so many paths, it didn’t really matter – but it was very easy to get lost!
These low growing birch trees and the low lava formations made it possible to see into the distance and appreciate just how huge this area is, but there were others, much higher, that made it seem more like a maze!
The first image above reminded me of a roaring tiger and the second of the canyons of Jordan – different rock but still the height and the restricted view making it possible to see only sky until one climbed to the top.
Travelling further, we found (well, we were taken to..) a natural fault where the fissure was deep and one could see how easy it would be to lose one’s footing.
It’s deeper than it looks! And there are many such fissures around the country.
After lunch we were to explore the geo-thermal areas further and were amazed by the colour of the water in a nearby lake. As I held the camera to my eye I realised that, from afar, it seemed that the ash hill was erupting.. scary!
Just around the corner on the other side of the hills we saw what might easily have been a Middle Eastern desert!
We had spent a pleasant hour or so here when I heard people speaking Thai. Curious, I asked where they were from. ‘Lampang’, said one, ‘Hang Chat’ another…so we chatted for a while and they said they had planned the trip themselves. I didn’t hear one complaint about the cold despite the fact that it WAS cold! This was a big adventure!!
Having exhausted our imaginations, relaxation was called for and we made our way to Myvatn Nature Baths nearby and indulged in an hour or so in the steaming water which is kept at a very comfortable temperature.
A relaxed evening in the hotel (while the snow came down again) prepared us for the rigours of the next day! We had been fortunate with the weather.
Living the Journey 