Volcano Circle – Grindavík, Reykjanes Hot Springs & Lava Fields

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Kleifarvatn Lake

• Kleifarvatn is the largest lake on the Reykjanes peninsula and a sight to behold. The road along the lake is probably one of the most under rated tourist roads int the country which hugs the lake’s shore. The tall mountains on the other side, make the drive alongside the lake nearly as fun as stopping to admire it from various vantage points.
• Fun Fact: In the year 2000, Kleifarvatn lost 20% of its water, when a fissure opened after an earthquake. The water drained into the nearby North Atlantic ocean through a subterranean channel. It has since recovered almost entirely.

Krysuvik

On the fissure zone between 2 tectonic plates running across Iceland lies the large geothermal area of Krýsuvík. Within this area is Seltún, a geothermal field, where volcanic fumeroles, mud pots and hot springs have formed. The result of the geothermal activity is a landscape seemingly painted bright yellow, red and green; a result of sulfur interacting with the other minerals in the soil.

Nátthagi

Grindavik

Once a small fishing village, Grindavik is becoming a tourism destination in Iceland and not just because it is home to the nation’s most popular attraction, the volcano at Fagradalsfjall. Grindavik boasts beautiful scenery with a lots of hiking trails.

Bridge Between Continents

A bridge between Europe and North America on Reykjanes Peninsula. The lava-scarred Reykjanes peninsula lies on one of the world’s major plate boundaries, the Mid Atlantic Ridge. According to the continental drift theory the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are continuously drifting apart with great forces under the gaping rifts. As the plates diverge, linear fractures, known as fissures form due to stresses created by the tension that builds up as the plates move away from each other. The Bridge between two continents at Sandvík is a small footbridge over a major fissure which provides clear evidence of the presence of a diverging plate margin. The bridge was built as a symbol for the connection between Europe and North America.