Iceland in Pictures

Þórsmörk, Iceland

(Source: overatthefrankensteinplace, via lucidity--)

This picnic table, this lake and most of this glacier has been washed away. Iceland is still a work in process and constantly changing. This outlet glacier, Gígjökull, that descends down from the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, was the path for the flash flood caused by the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010.

Photo by Stigur Steinthorsson

(Source: Flickr / stix, via myniceland)

I took this picture in Nauthólagil. It’s a narrow canyon with a healthy stream of water coming down it. The walls are 10-20 meters high and there are trees above it so it feels almost completely enclosed like a cave. You can easily walk to this place without getting wet and if you scramble up along the edge here you will have to wade the rest of the way. In there there is a beautiful waterfall. On the way back you can jump off the edge of this little waterfall into deep water. Lots of fun.

Finding this is not easy. There is a small sign that points to it by the last farm field on the way into the Þórsmörk Valley in southern Iceland. The sign says Nauthólagil. From there you drive a few hundred meters to the mouth of the narrow canyon. Have fun and stay safe.

Did you know that this lake does not exist anymore?

The lake “Lónið” below the Gígjökull Glacier (in the middle) was filled up by ash and sediments from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption last year. The crater of Eyjafjallajökull is up in the bright area in the upper middle of the picture. It melted a huge amount of ice that caused massive floods to come pouring down the Gígjökull Glacier washing a large portion of the glacier away and completely filling up the lake with ash. The lake is now just large flat barren wasteland. You will drive through this area on your way to Þórsmörk, one of the nicest places in Iceland. Take the bus unless you are confident enough to drive across large glacier rivers on your modified super jeep.

This is why you can keep visiting Iceland every year. It’ll change between years.

(Source: Flickr / paulclement, via abedmalik)