Leirhnjúkur lava field at Krafla

From the car park follow the path north-west over the old lava to the signed junction, then bear right, north, across the steaming hot-spring area on boardwalks past mud pots and acid pools. Carry on north into the black lava of the Krafla fires of 1975 to 1984, swing round west and south below the coloured slopes of Leirhnjúkur, and head south past the viewpoints. Take the lower path east back to the junction and retrace the first stretch to the car park.

It is 4.2 km round with 43 m of ascent; allow about an hour. The grade is Easy: posted paths and boardwalks over rough lava.

This is active geothermal ground, with boiling mud, steam vents and a crust that can give way: keep to the posted path and inside the ropes. The fresh lava is sharp and uneven, and snow can hide the markers in winter. The landowners have closed the area before to protect it, as in 2013, so watch for signs, above all in the spring thaw. Leirhnjúkur, the clay hill, is a steaming rhyolite knoll streaked yellow, red and white.

Road 863 is paved past the Krafla power station; the last stretch to the car park is gravel. Travel guides give a parking charge of 800 ISK, but we found no official page for it. There is no bus.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.