Day 18 - Heading Home
Day 18 route and stops
Today we had a morning and early afternoon before needing to be at the airport to head home. We definitely wanted to see the new volcanic eruption, but it would have taken the better part of a day to hike to the site and back over rough terrain, so we opted to spend Day 17 checking out the Reykjavik area rather than hiking to the volcano. We did visit the site of the eruption on the way to the airport (Stop B), but only hiked a mile in, where we could see the 2021 flow (which was still smoking) and the blue smoke from the new eruption in the distance. On the way, we stopped at Krysuvik Geothermal Area (Stop A) which had mud pots and altered areas as well as a lake with very green water (Graenvatn). Finally, we had to visit the Blue Lagoon, the most famous geothermal spa in Iceland. We had wanted to get the hot spring experience, but there were no spots available by the time we tried to make reservations. However, you can walk around the grounds and look at the blue ponds that result from excess heated seawater used in the nearby geothermal power plant.
Krysuvik Geothermal Area
Krysuvik Geothermal Area
Graenvatn
Some of Iceland’s 400 types of mosses at Graenvatn.
Black basalt flows from 2021 eruption of Fagradalsfjall volcano with blue smoke from 2022 eruption rising behind. The site of the 2021 eruption is on the top of the hill to the left.
Iridescent ropey pahoehoe lava from 2021 flow. Ropey area is about 1 m across.
The end of the 2021 flow
Spa at Blue Lagoon with power plant in background
Undeveloped area at Blue Lagoon