Lake Mývatn and Its Volcanic Landscapes

Lake Mývatn is the geological showpiece of North Iceland. The lake itself is shallow and rich in birdlife, fed by springs and dotted with small islands and pseudocraters, but it is the land around it that makes the trip. Eruptions over the past few thousand years left a maze of lava pillars at Dimmuborgir, a huge tuff ring at Hverfjall, bubbling mud and sulphur vents at Hverir, a steaming rift cave at Grjótagjá and the Krafla volcanic area with the blue crater lake Víti. Almost every stop is a short walk from a car park, which is why the area suits a single long day. The name hints at the other local character: Mývatn means midge lake, and in summer clouds of harmless, non-biting midges hang over the water. They are the food that supports the unusual number of nesting ducks, and visitors usually learn to wear a head net or just keep moving. The midges are worst on calm days in early summer and are no reason to skip the trip, but a light net is a cheap and sensible item to pack.

A classic circuit starts with the pseudocraters at Skútustaðir on the south shore, grassy hollows formed when lava flowed over wet ground, then moves to the lava labyrinth of Dimmuborgir, whose marked paths are named for the trolls and Yule Lads of local folklore. Hverfjall, a nearly perfect crater rim you can climb in about half an hour, gives wide views over the lake and the black desert.

Grjótagjá, a small fissure cave with a warm pool, is a photographic favourite, though bathing there is no longer permitted because the water temperature has become unsafe. Then come the steam vents and boiling mud of Hverir, which smell strongly of sulphur and are fenced for safety.

Krafla, a little farther on, adds a geothermal power station, the lava fields of the Krafla fires of the 1970s and 1980s, and Víti, an explosion crater holding bright turquoise water. The rim walk is easy and the colours are best in good light. Many tours finish at the Mývatn Nature Baths, which is the soothing end to a day of walking and is described as its own entry here.

Plan the day around daylight and season. In summer you have almost unlimited hours and can start late, though crowds peak around midday. In winter the days are short and some paths are icy, so a guided minibus with a driver used to the conditions is a good idea, and a snowmobile or snowshoe day is possible on some departures. Spring and autumn bring quiet roads and good light for photography, with some services closing for the off season.

Getting there is straightforward. By car, the Ring Road from Akureyri passes Goðafoss and continues about fifty-five kilometres beyond the falls to the lake, so the drive is itself a highlight. Without a car, full-day small-group tours leave from Akureyri and often combine Mývatn with Goðafoss, and cruise passengers have a similar day from the port.

If you want to linger, the lake has guesthouses and hotels in Reykjahlíð, and an overnight lets you see the area at dawn or dusk with far fewer people. Bring layers, water, a head net for summer, and a sense of humour about the smell of Hverir.