Hverir at Namafjall

Hverir sits at the base of the Namafjall ridge on a slope of orange and grey clay where nothing grows. Mud pots turn over slowly, fumaroles roar out of stone cones built up around them, and the whole area smells strongly of sulphur, a smell that stays in clothing afterwards. Roped paths cross the field; the crust between them is thin and the water beneath is at boiling point, so the ropes are not decorative. A steep track climbs the ridge behind for a view down over the field and west towards the lake. Being directly off the ring road makes it one of the easiest geothermal areas in the country to reach.

What you actually see

• The mud pots - grey pools turning over continuously in the clay.
• Fumarole cones - stone chimneys venting steam loudly under pressure.
• The coloured ground - ochre, rust and pale grey clay stained by minerals.
• The ridge path - the climb up Namafjall for a view over the field and towards Myvatn.

When to go

Any season; the field works in winter, when steam is thickest against cold air and snow melts off the ground in patterns. Wind direction matters more than time of day, since standing downwind of a vent means walking through sulphur steam. Early morning avoids the coach groups running the northern loop route.

Honest expectations

The smell is strong and clings to clothes and hair for the rest of the day. Ground off the marked paths can give way into boiling mud and people have been badly burned at sites like this. The clay turns to slick paste in rain and coats boots. It is a twenty minute stop, not an afternoon.

Nearby

Lake Myvatn is minutes west, with the Krafla area and the Hverfjall crater close by.