Iceland: Day 9 - Námafjall and Hverarönd

July 3, 2004

Immediately east of Bjarnaflag, the road twists over the Mývatn rift. The high point south of the road's crest is Námafjall, streaked in grey gypsum and yellow sulphur deposits. These were once mined and exported for use in gunpowder. At the base of the eastern side of Námafjall is Hverarönd, a large field of solfataras, evil-smelling, blue-grey belching mud pools. These are caused by groundwater percolating downwards for over a kilometre to magma levels; heating then forces it back to the surface, where it exits through the sticky red soil at 200ºC. Visitors are asked to stick to the boardwalks and marked paths to avoid sinking knee-deep into scalding pools. Even worse are the steam vents, where rocks, gravel and earth have been burst upwards like a bubble to form waist-high, perforated mounds through which vapour jets out.

A part of the Mývatn rift (or 'the big bite' as we called it)

The colourfull slopes of Námafjall

The thermal area Hverarönd at the base of Námafjall.

A steam vent in the strange landscape of Hverarönd

Beautiful cloudscapes in the sky.

The mineral deposits create colourful patterns on the ground.

A smoking steam vent

Oh, that was just Rubby letting off some gas ;-)

What it looks like when a bunch of tour busses suddenly arrive.

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