Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tourist Information Centre
TOURIST INFORMATION
( 420 1190;
www.visitgrindavik.is
;
10am-5pm mid-May-mid-Sep)
Two branches: in Kvíkan museum and the campground. Internet terminal.
Getting There & Away
Terminal, the Blue Lagoon, and Grindavík (Ikr1600, one hour, three daily).
Reykjanesfólkvangur
For a taste of Iceland's raw countryside, visit this 300-sq-km wilderness reserve, a mere
40km from Reykjavík. Established in 1975, the reserve protects the elaborate lava forma-
tions created by the dramatic Reykjanes ridge volcanoes. Its three showpieces are Kleifar-
vatn, a deep mineral lake with submerged hot springs and black-sand beaches; the spitting,
bubbling Krýsuvík geothermal zone at Seltún; and the southwest's largest bird cliffs, the
epic Krýsuvíkurberg. The whole area is criss-crossed by walking trails. Get good maps at
Keflavík, Grindavík or Hafnarfjörður tourist offices. You'll see parking turnouts at the
head of the most popular walks: the loop around Kleifarvatn, and the tracks along the
craggy Sveifluháls and Núpshliðarháls ridges.
Kleifarvatn
This deep, brooding lake sits in a volcanic fissure, surrounded by wind-warped lava cliffs
and black-sand shores. Legend has it that a wormlike monster the size of a whale lurks be-
low the surface - but the poor creature is running out of room, as the lake has been shrink-
ing ever since two major earthquakes shook the area in 2000. For a macabre fictional book
on this event, seek out Arnaldur Indríðason's thriller
The Draining Lake
(2004). A walking
trail runs around the edge, offering dramatic views and the crunch of volcanic cinders un-
derfoot.
