Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The idea of constructing a geothermal power station at Krafla was conceived in 1973, and
preliminary work commenced with the drilling of holes to determine project feasibility. In
1975, however, after a long rest period, the Krafla fissure burst into activity. The project
went ahead, however, and has been expanded since. The power plant's
visitor centre
ex-
plains how it all works.
Leirhnjúkur
LAVA FIELD
Krafla's most impressive, and potentially most dangerous, attraction is the Leirhnjúkur
crater and its solfataras, which originally appeared in 1727, starting out as a lava fountain
and spouting molten material for two years before subsiding.
In 1975, the Krafla Fires began with a small lava eruption by Leirhnjúkur, and after nine
years of on-and-off action Leirhnjúkur became the ominous-looking, sulphur-encrusted
mudhole that tourists love today. The earth's crust here is extremely thin and in places the
ground is ferociously hot.
A well-defined track leads northwest to Leirhnjúkur from the Krafla parking area; with
all the volcanic activity, high temperatures, bubbling mudpots and steaming vents, it's best
not to stray from the marked paths.
Viti
CRATER
The dirt-brown crater of Víti reveals a secret when you reach its rim - a green pool of
floodwater at its heart. The 300m-wide explosion crater was created in 1724 at the begin-
ning of the destructive Mývatn Fires. There is a circular path around the rim of Viti to the
geothermal area to its east.
Gjástykki
LAVA FIELD
This remote rift zone at the northernmost end of the Krafla fissure swarm was the source
of the first eruptions in 1724, and was activated when Leirhnjúkur went off again in the
1975 eruptions. Between 1981 and 1984 the area was the main hotspot of activity in the
Krafla central volcano, and the current Gjástykki lava fields date from this time.
Gjástykki is a very sensitive area and to visit you'll need to join a tour.
Saga Travel
(
558 888;
www.sagatravel.is
)
tours the area (Ikr19,500 from Mývatn); you can combine
Gjástykki with its tour of the Lofthellir cave.
