Krafla
|
July 2006: Exploring the many natural features of Krafla |
Krafla is an active volcanic area that has erupted many times throughout history. The most recent major eruption was in 1980. A marked path winds through some of the still steaming lava fields. |
Here you can see successive flows of lava that have hardened on top of one another. |
There are a number of steaming mineral earth locations. Actually, I'm not sure if there is a technical term for "colorful steaming earth", but there should be... Hmmm... |
Ever resourceful, the Icelanders have tapped-into the geothermal energy with this power plant. A series of fat pipes transport the steaming vapors to the central generator for conversion to electricity. |
This lake called Viti is closer to the actual mountain of Krafla (an unassuming hill just to the east of here). There water is quite cold. There is another Viti crater further south in Iceland, near Askja - that one is a hot pool. |
Where is it? Krafla is just north of the lake Mývatn (maybe 15 miles), in the north of Iceland. |
Before you go... It's pronounced "Krapla". There is nowhere to stay at Krafla, but Mývatn isn't too far away to the south. |