Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Reykjahlíð
Given the number of visitors who invade each summer,
REYKJAHLÍÐ
is surprisingly
insubstantial - just a church and nearby airstrip, a cluster of services surrounding the
N1 fuel station, and a handful of quiet residential streets. But most of Mývatn's
accommodation
is here, there are
hiking trails
around the east shore to Hverfell and
north up to Krafla, and the setting is grand, right where the low volcanic plateau slopes
down to the lakeshore, with views south right across the lake. Birders shouldn't miss
the
slavonian grebes
that nest on the lakeshore directly in front of the
Reynihlíð
hotel.
6
The church
Standing tall at the western edge of town, Reykjahlíð's
church
is a neat white structure
whose green spire is topped by an incongruous neon crucifix. The obvious
lava flows
either side date from August 1729, when fast-flowing magma descended from
Leirhnjúkur and covered three nearby farms, but was mysteriously deflected around the
low-lying church - some say by the cemetery wall, others (in keeping with similar cases
elsewhere in Iceland) by prayer. A carving on the pulpit depicts the church of the time
under threat, and check out the lava, too: there are some good stretches of rope-lava
pavements, and plenty of fissures caused by escaping gases.
Stóragjá
On a cold day vapour rises from cracks in the ground all around Reykjahlíð (the name
means “steamy slopes”); for a closer look walk 250m east of the N1 fuel station to the
Ringroad intersection, where the rough scrub conceals
Stóragjá
, the most accessible of
Mývatn's sunken hot springs. A ladder and rope reach down into the 2m-wide cleft from
ground level, and it was a popular bathing hole until it cooled during the 1990s (it's
now around 25˚C), allowing harmful algae to invade. Some people do still swim here,
but at the risk of getting any cuts or grazes infected - best stick to the swimming pool.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
REYKJAHLÍÐ
By bus
Buses pull in at the N1 fuel station, next to the
visitor centre. Summer services run daily to Akureyri,
Dettifoss, Húsavík and Egilsstaðir; and several times a week
to Reykjavík via Sprengisandur. At other times, buses run
several times a week between Akureyri and Egilsstaðir only.
Destinations
Akureyri (2 daily; 2hr 45min); Dettifoss
(1 daily; 1hr 30min); Egilsstaðir (2 daily; 2hr 5min);
Goðafoss (2 daily; 40min); Húsavík (2 daily; 45min); Krafla
(2 daily; 15min); Landmannalaugar (3 weekly; 10hr);
Reykjavík via Sprengisandur (3 weekly; 11hr 35min).
INFORMATION
Tourist information
Mývatnsstofa visitor centre (daily
9am-6pm;
T
464 4390,
W
visitmyvatn.is) has internet
and a small environmental museum; staff can provide free,
detailed maps of the Mývatn area, and there's a rack of
brochures by the door.
Services
The N1 fuel station also houses toilets and a well-
stocked Samkaup/STRAX supermarket (daily: summer
9am-8pm; winter 10am-6pm). The post o
ce (Mon-Fri
9am-4pm), pay phone and bank ATM are directly across the
street behind the fuel station. Reykjahlíð's shallow swimming
pool (daily 10am-9pm) is 700m away at the end of the road
past the bank, with the usual complement of hot pots. Hike &
Bike, in front of Hótel Reykjahlið (
T
899 4845,
W
hikeandbike
.is), rents out sturdy mountain bikes for 4000kr per day.
TOURS
SBA buses
(
W
sba.is) Year-round half-day tours run from
Reykjahlið's information centre, taking in Dimmuborgir,
Grjótagjá, Krafla, Námafjall and the Nature Baths (6100kr).
From mid-June until early September, there are also two
buses daily to Krafla (1500kr each way), one of which
continues to Dettifoss (3,300kr each way) from where you
can connect with buses to Ásbyrgi (see p.263). The most
ambitious option is to make a three-day round trip with
them to Askja and Kverkfjöll (see p.313; 37,000kr plus
accommodation and food).
Mývatn Tours
(
T
464 1920,
W
askjatours.is) Lengthy day-
trips to Askja from mid-June until September (19,000kr);
you'll get a good look at the Interior, including views of
Herðubreið and a swim in Viti's lukewarm water (see p.314).
Mýflug Air
(
T
464 4400,
W
myflug.is) This Reykjalið-
based outfit can take you for a short spin over Mývatn and
Krafla (20min; 11,000kr), or out to Askja and Dettifoss (1hr;
22,000kr).
