Dimmuborgir

History

Dimmuborgir, "dark castles", is a volcanic formation zone in the North of Iceland and is one of Iceland's most visited attractions. These unusual lava structures are a must see when you visit the Myvatn region.

Dimmuborgir, located ten kilometers south of the village of Reykjahlíð, is an area known for its volcanic activity. Dimmuborgir formed over 2,300 years ago, during a long and violent volcanic eruption when an impressive volume of lava flowed into a twelve kilometer long crack in the ground, south of the crater Hverfjall (or Hverfell), and joined the valleys of Laxárdalur and Adaldalur. Geologists agree that something blocked the lava flow, resulting in the creation of a lava lake.  When the lake began to cool and solidify, the mysterious blockage was released and passing out lava, which then solidified creating the lava sculptures that you can see today.

The Dimmuborgir region is recognizable by the large hollow tube structures that formed when lava pooled over a lake resulting in these spectacular lava pillars. Some "chambers" of lava are large enough to hold one or more people, and that's why the area was named “dark castles" The unusual shapes of lava give an air of mystery and magic to this place.

Hiking

Walking, photography, observing nature and the local plant-life are the main activities in the surroundings area of Dimmuborgir. Some small walking paths have signposts to Dimmuborgir, and whatever the time of year you can choose to be accompanied by a guide.

The small circle 570 meters takes around 10 or 15 minutes to walk.

The large circle 840 meters takes about 20 minutes walking.

The circle of the church, leading to the formation that looks like a church is 2250 meters long and is about 60 minutes on foot.

The Mellönd circle: 1200 meters takes about 30 minutes on foot.

Krókastígur, the zig-zag path: 800 meters takes around 40 minutes walking.  This way is a bit more challenging than other walking trails. You can also visit Dimmuborgir walking from the village of Reykjahlíð; the road is about 14 km long and takes 3 to 4 hours to get there.

Grjótagjá - Hverfjall - Dimmuborgir

The marked path starts in the village of Reykjahlíð, at the intersection of the number one road leading eastward from Egilsstaðir, Iceland. From there, the trail leads you to the cave Grjótagjá, where there are secret hot springs (too hot to bathe in). You continue your way up Hverfjall crater, where you'll discover a beautiful view of Lake Myvatn. You descend the other side of the crater on a stiff slope and continue to through the volcanic formations of Dimmuborgir.

You can also do the second part of this hike at Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall (or vice versa), which is eight kilometers long. When you get to Hverfjall, there are two paths; one easy, the other a harder zig-zag path that leads to the summit of the crater.

Jólasveinar

In December, the Icelandic Christmas Santas, invite guests to visit them in Dimmuborgir on a particular day to prepare for Christmas. They also take a dip with travellers at the Nature Baths.

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Askja volcano travel guide (Iceland)

For many years now, Askja has been the most popular excursion from Lake Mývatn and one of the top destinations in Iceland.

You will travel through the largest wilderness of Iceland, filled with marvels of nature, driving across lunar landscapes where US-astronauts trained before they ventured to the moon in 1969.

You will see scenes of unforgettable nature and exiting geology. Askja, the huge caldera, is still in the making through bedrock subsidence above a deep-seated magma source. It lies centrally in the mountain massif Dyngjufjöll and is an active centre of a volcanic system.

Askja was not explored until the 19th century. In 1874-1875 there was a series of volcanic eruptions in the system, culminating in a very powerful eruption. Some 2 billion cubic metres of ash and pumice where blown from vents now on the bottom of Lake Öskjuvatn . This 11 sq. km-lake formed within a few years, following the event. It is the deepest lake in Iceland, 220 m. The latest eruption in Askja occurred in the autumn 1961.

We recommend you to walk at the slopes of a 1961-crater. An easy 30-min.-long walk leads you to the explosion crater Víti (Hell) at the rim of Lake Öskjuvatn.

A small, milky and warm lake adorns the crater. Amazingly, it turns into a heaven if you care to take a bath in it. After enjoying the unearthly quietness and bizarre landscape our passengers return to the bus.

Víti is a popular bathing site, but if you intend taking a dip, please be aware that the sloping path is very slippery in wet weather.

Route back to Lake Mývatn, you could make a stop is made at Herðubreiðarlindir where clear water flows from springs in an old lava flow. The springs sustain beautiful vegetation and form small ponds providing conditions for flowering plants and birdlife in the otherwise barren, volcanic landscape. The high bulk of the old sub-glacial volcano (tablemountain) Herðubreið (1682 m) rises about 3 km distant and provides a breathtaking background to this wilderness oasis.

Askja is a 50 km2 caldera in the Dyngjufjoll mountains. The mountains emerged in eruptions under an Ice Age glacier cap. Askja itself was formed, for the most part, at the end of the Ice Age in a major ash eruption which caused the roof of the magma chamber at the heart of the central volcano to subside. Askja is a part of Vatnajökull National Park. The caldera contains several volcanoes, including Víti (explosive volcanic crater). Water has accumulated in the crater, its temperature is variable - it is around 30°C on average.

HOW TO GET THERE?

The road to Askja goes from road 1 to road 901 and onto mountain road F905. Onward to F910 to Drekagil. On this route there are two fords to cross, usually small. From Drekagil goes mountain road F894 (8 km) to the car park at Vikraborgir.

Another option is to go from road 1 to mountain road F88 via Herðubreiðarlindir to Drekagil. On this road ther are fords on the rivers Grafarlandsá and Lindá that need to be crossed. The fords can be difficult or even impassable for small jeeps.

HOW TO DRIVE ON F ROADS?

So what do you have to keep in mind when planning a trip to the highlands?

-You have to be driving a 4x4 vehicle.
-It is strongly advised that people travel together in 2 or more cars.

-You should check information about the conditions of the roads before you start your journey. It is best to call 1777 or check www.road.is.
-Make sure that the F road you plan to travel on is open for traffic.
-Driving outside of the roads in the highlands is strictly forbidden. Actually, driving off road in Iceland is always forbidden!

-Buying a detailed map of the route you will be travelling is much better than using the standard free map you can get at tourist information centers and gas stations. This is not necessary but can be very helpful.
-Whenever possible, try to talk to local people about conditions in the area, such as rangers.
-Tell somebody about your travel plans. You can for example tell the good people over at www.safetravel.is (or just the ranger you talked to before).

-It is good to be prepared for all types of weather as the weather in the highlands can change almost with a blink of an eye.
-Be aware that telephone signals in the highlands are not very stable and you can go for a long while without a mobile connection.
-The emergency number in Iceland is 112. You are able to call it in the highlands, even without a mobile connection.
-There is no petrol station in the highlands so make sure you fill up! :)

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CROSSING THE GLACIER RIVERS

When you cross rivers, make sure that the 4 wheel drive has been engaged before going into the river. Drive very slowly and use the low range if possible. Never switch gears in the middle of the river.

Glacial rivers usually have less water in the mornings. During warm summer days, the flow of the river can increase a lot. Heavy rain can also increase the flow of a river substantially. Be aware that rivers can sometimes not be crossed even if the road is open and you are driving a 4x4 vehicle.

A good rule of thumb regarding glacier rivers is that if you would not want to wade through a river you should not drive through it. Crossing rivers can be a serious matter if people are not careful. Whenever possible, cross with someone with experience in crossing rivers.

Fords over rivers are usually marked and should be easy to spot. Be aware of big rocks that might be under the surface of the water. The worst place to cross is where the water is most calm because that is usually the deepest part of the river. The best way to cross is to follow the torrent diagonally down the river, that way the torrent helps the vehicle over.

If you prefer a guided tour, we recommend a guided tour from Lake Mývatn to the Askja Caldera with this Icelandic company.

You can also make it with a Bus 4x4 from the company Visit Askja. Good price and great adventure!

Peter and Helga
Iceland24h.blogspot.com

Bardarbunga: Aviation alert downgraded

The Icelandic Met Office has downgraded the aviation alert for Bardarbunga, from red to orange, meaning that eruption is not imminent. Subglacial eruption is not thought to have occurred yesterday. Seismic activity is still strong and the dyke intrusion in Dyngjujokull has propagated to the north.

Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said this around 12.00 GMT, after a meeting with scientists and the Civil Protection Agency. The aviation alert was raised yesterday to red, but has now been downgraded to orange. Observations show that a sub-glacial eruption did not take place yesterday as previously thought and the low-frequency seismic signal observed has other explanations.

The dyke intrusion under Dyngjujokull, north and east of the Bardarbunga caldera has however been propagating to the north, and is now believed to be about 30 kilometers long. A 4.2 earthquake was detected there this morning, along with numerous other quakes. Since midnight, more then 700 quakes have been detected in the area. IMO says no indication that the seismic activity is slowing down; therefore an eruption can not be excluded.

Two strong earthquakes occured in the Bardarbunga caldera last night and this morning (Magnitude 5,3 and 4.6). These quakes are associcated with pressure changes in the magma chamber beneath the caldera as magma flows out to the intrusion.

The Civil Protection Agency (CPA) declared an emergency phase yesterday and extended the restricted area north of Vatnajokull. CPA will reassess the situation later today.

Source: www.ruv.is
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Þríhnúkagígur - Inside the volcano

Iceland’s Þríhnúkagígur volcano is thought to be the only place in the world where you can safely explore a volcano’s magma chamber…from the inside. Talk about an experience of a lifetime!

Lowered in a small skyscraper window washer’s pulley lift through a four metre wide hole, down, down, down nearly 150 metres (double the height of Hallgrímskirkja) onto a floor the size of a football pitch in a cavern 150,000 cubic metres by volume, which was once filled with pressurised molten lava waiting to explode upwards. Welcome to Þríhnúkagígur.

The volcano is the only place on earth where the magma chamber is accessible and currently safe to explore. The size of its chamber is enormous; the ground space is roughly the size of a football pitch. The distance from top to bottom is about 150 meters (450 ft.). Þríhnúkagígur last erupted over 4000 years ago.

This Icelandic volcano hasn’t erupted for 4,000 years, so you’re probably safe being inside it. But the frisson of danger is nevertheless pervasive and basely attractive.

Summer 2012 was the first time the crater was open to tourists – and even then only until mid-August. But if you’re lucky you might manage to get onto one of the 5-6 hour tours again in summer 2013, between 15th May and 10th September.

Plans to run the tours for a second summer were late to be revealed and there is no way of knowing if they will run in 2014 or not. Even if they don’t, there are plans afoot to tunnel directly – hopefully discreetly – into the crater and erect a viewing platform in coming years. While this would remove the thrill of the descent, it would allow more people to see the amazing site, and for a less exorbitant price. 

The Volcano is only approximately 30 minutes drive from Reykjavík. Once there, travelers must walk for 40 minutes across a lava field to reach the summit. Then they will take an open cable lift 120 metres down to the bottom of the crater before beginning the hour-long tour with a team of expert guides.

CNN rated Þríhnúkagígur number 13 on its 27 Must See Places Before You Die list…so it must be good!

Peter, June 2014
Iceland24h.blogspot.com