GeekPic @ Fimmvörðuháls
This is probably one of the geekiest GeekPics (and the least flattering!) of them all…
But I’m proud of it nevertheless! 😉
Fimmvörðuháls fissure lava flow
Following up from the Mountains & Volcanoes NaturePic series, this picture is at the intimidating steaming heaps of the Fimmvörðuháls fissure lava flow in Iceland. I had to brave howling winds in order to even stay upright, while holding a relic lava rock that was coughed up by the mighty Eyjafjallajökull himself.
Magni and Móði craters
The nearby Magni and Móði craters were still steaming at their edges. I would have loved to bumble around in them, but the wind was just too brutal to even try & attempt. It was difficult enough not to be blown off the mountain on the way down to Thórsmörk.
In spite of all this, I definitely wanted to do this hike again, and stay overnight at the cozy Fimmvörðuháls mountain hut, where epic sunsets can be enjoyed.
GeekPic @ Fimmvörðuháls lava flow, Iceland.
Find out more about the Fimmvörðuháls hiking route
And I actually did a couple of years later. This time I hiked up to Fimmvörðuháls and the Magni and Móði craters from the Thórsmörk side, on a beautiful & wind-free Autumn day. You can read my story about the Fimmvörðuháls hike in this article. It describes both sides of the route: the ‘easy way up’ from Skógar and the ‘hard way up’ from Thórsmörk. Plus an unexpected grand encore!
The interactive map below shows the hiking route from Skógar to the Fimmvörðuháls hut and down into Thórsmörk in purple.
Iceland eruption 2021
The latest epic volcano erupted to the scene in Iceland on 19 March 2021, exactly 11 years after Fimmvörðuháls started off. Reykjanes kicked into action and coughed up a new volcano in Geldingadalur, a secluded valley below Fagradalsfjall. It mesmerized people around the world with rows of craters and scenic lava flows, and even turned into a spectacular lava geyser 😳 for a while! In this article you can read all about the extraordinary Fagradalsfjall volcano (and how to get there).
@ If you have any questions, let me know in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you! Your questions, comments and suggestions can also be helpful for other readers. Thank you for sharing.
Nancy Claus – Wilderness Coffee & Natural High
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More to explore & discover
Fimmvörðuháls – The fiery pass across Eyjafjallajökull
Vestmannaeyjar – Þar sem hjartað slær (A spectacular island and festival)
The walking track to Eldfell – The Fiery Mountain
Thórsmörk – Rjúpnafell and the hidden valley
GeekPic – What is a geek pic?
© All photos and content on this website are my own, and subject to copyright (unless credited otherwise). Please contact me if you want to use a photo or quote a text from one of my articles. You’re welcome to share a link to my blog articles and photos on social media, with a tag and mention to Wilderness Coffee & Natural High.
First published: 2 March 2017