Leirhnjukur

Leirhnjukur is the middle of the Krafla fissure and the place where the eruptions of 1975 to 1984 came out, so the lava underfoot is only decades old - black, sharp and in places still giving off heat and steam forty years on. Around it are mud pots, fumaroles and ground stained yellow and orange with sulphur, and a pale rhyolite hill that predates all of it. Marked paths and boardwalks run through the field, and staying on them is not advisory: the crust over hot ground is thin in places and gives way. The walk from the car park through the field and back takes two to three hours at an easy pace.

What you actually see

• Lava from the 1980s - still warm and steaming in places.
• Mud pots and fumaroles - active ground beside the path.
• Sulphur staining - yellow and orange across the field.
• Boardwalks that matter - the crust off them is not reliable.

When to go

June to September, while road 863 is open. Two to three hours.

Honest expectations

Leaving the marked route risks serious burns and it happens most years somewhere in Iceland. Gas can be strong in still weather and unpleasant for anyone with breathing problems. The path is uneven lava with loose sections. No facilities beyond the car park.

Nearby

Viti and the Krafla station are minutes away; Myvatn is south.