The whole point for my trip back to Iceland for a couple of days so suddenly back in August was because of the volcano that started erupting. I wanted to see it close-up, this is an experience that you can't really describe. Sadly, I missed the main eruption by two goddamn days and it went quiet. Well, I already had the trip booked and either way I always want to go back to Iceland. Still, I took the hike to the eruption site and it was still absolutely amazing to see those craters close-up, brand new lava fields and so on. Even saw some glowing lava. You will know all about it in these upcoming posts in this series.
I will be making this a 3-part series because it was a lengthy highlight hike and I have so many shots I want to show you. You know... Many don't have the patience to read very long posts. The posts will still get relatively long lol.
Part 1 - Starting The hike and 2021 Eruption Crater close-up.
The hike to the new crater and back is 12 KM in total and it's not an easy one. There are some steep inclines and very uneven and rocky terrain on the hills. When the eruption was in full force then there were as many as 5000 people who hiked to the eruption site, not everyone made it...
I have heard so many stories about how people needed to get rescued due to injury or exhaustion. This part where the volcano is located is remote. No road takes you there. Parents often brought their little children on this hike but the children couldnt do it. Parents then had to carry them but it's hard and you can't do it for a long distance. This means trouble and they had to be rescued by a helicopter.
You can still see many people hiking there even after the eruption has calmed down.
The first view of the new lava flow, down the hill...
It is only when you get close to the lava falls that you realize the scale and force of the event. This is the 2021 hardened lava river flows. Photos don't do justice, you have to see it in person to really feel it.
The valley is full of lava. I was there at the far end of this lava valley in 2021. I wanted to climb up from the other side but the weather conditions prevented me from doing it. Now I was finally able to make it happen but did it from another side.
This is how the trail looked like I was on. If you think that's bad then oh it gets much worse...
You can clearly see the marks of liquid lava flowing
When I was up from the steepest hill of the hike, another huge valley appeared that was full of lava. This is Geldingadalir valley, where the 2021 eruption started. Two years ago it was just a deep mountainous valley. Now all of this is full of lava... The landscape forever changed. New landforms were created, a very young earth. It's amazing and surreal to see!
Lava field smoking in places because it's still very hot below the upper hardened crust.
And there it was! In the middle of the valley, a majestic huge crater, the Geldingadalir volcano. Basically, a new mountain was created just a year ago.
I continued with the trail and also got closer to the 2021 Geldingadalir crater.
View to the west.
The authorities had tried to make this trail more accessible by bringing some soil to make the path more smooth but it wasn't complete and I had to continue on the original rough landscape. Many people have broken their ankles here. You sure need a good pair of hiking boots.
Fortunately, there was a smooth part again soon. It was a nightmare to walk on this stone-littered surface.
I was now much closer to the 2021 crater and took some shots there. It is much bigger and higher than the pictures make it look like, absolutely massive. If a person was up there, it would be a very small dot. Even though it had not erupted for a year now, I have heard that the inside of the crater was still 600C hot.
I could only imagine what it was like to see from this very spot, erupting hundreds of meters into the air. I followed live streams every day and know how it was.
A couple of shots of this crater.
This is a photo I took in 2021 when this exact volcano erupted. The photo is taken 40km away, in Reykjavik. Unfortunately, I was unable to go to the eruption site at the time due to the extreme weather.
Seeing one crater was my objective last year. Now I needed to continue with my hike to see the main objective of this hike. The brand new 2022 crater and lava fields... I couldn't wait. I had watched live-streams every day for the past month how the place erupted. I couldn't wait any longer to see the location in person.
I wonder if am I going to be there soon, I had hiked quite a time already. Yes, another long stretch of the road appeared. I knew that after this section, I am there. You can also see smoke/gas rising behind the hill, that came from the new crater.
Took a couple of more shots while walking this part.
More lava flows of 2021.
Attention!
Another view to the main vent of 2021.
I will stop this here. Next up, in Part 2 I will be arriving on the new crater that just 2 days prior erupted in full force and the area was still scorching hot.
Stay tuned!
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