Krafla

Day 60. 27th August, Krafla, near Mývatn, Iceland (Northeast).

.

Krafla is a dormant volcanic cone in a geologically active area. Though it was now very late summer, there was still some ice around.

.

Krafla is near Mývatn and about seven or eight kilometres down the road from Hverarönd (previous post).

.

The Krafla caldera.

.

Kandinsky’s pallette, perhaps.

.

Looking beyond the crater, towards the west.

.

There is a geothermal plant beside the mountain.

.

The crater from the far side.

.

Something of a small ice cave, as water flows beneath the ice.

.

Looking down on a stream flowing through icy ground.

.

The geothermal plant again.

.

Hverarönd

Day 60. 27th August, Hverarönd, Iceland (Northeast).

.

From Mývatn I proceeded to the Hverarönd Thermal Area.

.

Hverarönd is just a short distance from the Mývatn Camping Ground.

.

Unknown person beside a vent.

.

.

.

The rocks look as if they have been added. In fact, some appear to be parts of bricks. I suspect this is to prevent especially foolish people sticking their heads over an open vent just before it blows.

.

Artistic patterns in gypsum and sulphur.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Boiling mud.

.

.

.

Miniature landscapes.

.

.

.

It’s as though there are creatures here trying to escape….

(Click for a larger view if you like).

.

The area is on the edge of the volcanic fissure that goes right through Iceland.

.

.

.

Perhaps once boiling mud.

.

.

.

.

.

Can you see the footprint here and the other one beside it where the crust has given way? People have been severely burned here. I remember a case in the 60s in Rotorua in New Zealand where someone was playing lawn bowls, the bowling green gave way end he fell through into superheated water or mud. That one I think was fatal.

.