Þríhnúkagígur was the last stop of our trip, but truly fascinating. Nearly 4,500 years ago there was an eruption, but for some as yet undetermined reason the magma dome beneath the surface cone drained off, leaving the hallowed-out shell of the cone and an empty chasm.
The proprietors installed a window washing elevator so scientists, and now the curious, could descend 120m beneath the surface through the narrow opening and into a beautiful view of the inside of the Earth. Not quite the center of the Earth, but still impressive.
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Going down…
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As usual photos simply cannot do justice to the scale and beauty of this amazing, very unique place.
The 8km round trip walk through the resultant lava field with its lava caves was equally beautiful.
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| Reykjavik to the west |
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| Some caves were large enough for habitation and stayed warm for decades after the eruption. |
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| Crevices are deep and treacherous |
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| Lava “ropes” from rippled flows |
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| Much of Iceland’s “green” is moss covered lava. |
And then it was back to Reykjavik to pack and prep for the long flight home…
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