Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.06.2017, Side 56

Into The Dark
Trekking through the lava caves
Words: Signe Smala Photos: Art Bicnick

Iceland's lava fields have their own
particular beauty. Their velvety
moss carpets and waves of dark rock
peaks have a peaceful vastness. But
it’s not only the view that makes
them special—the unique process
of their formation has led to a fasci-
nating natural underworld, hidden
to the unknowing passerby.
Curious to see for ourselves, we
embark on a trip to one of Iceland's
accessible lava caves, located in
Bláfjöll mountain range just east
of Reykjavík. The adventure begins
with the friendly guide scheduling
me for a footwear change to improve
ankle support—very important
while staggering over sharp lava
rocks.
One hot minute
After an hourlong drive, we find our-
selves in the middle of a large lava
field. The hidden entrance of the lava
cave reveals itself just two minutes’
walk from the road—a round hole
on one side of a rocky pit, with a path
quickly vanishing into darkness. It
doesn’t look very welcoming, but our
guide leads the way. We flick on our
helmet lights, and in we go.
Walking through the round tube
of solidified lava, you see all sorts of
peculiar formations, from fragile
stalagmites to frozen lava streams
on the ground, and colorful splashes
on the walls. However, the thing that
really bring this fascinating place to
life is the explanation behind it. Our
guide tells us all about how the cave
was formed by boiling lava streams;
how the molten, dripping rocks took
just seconds to solidify, and have
been hanging almost mid-fall for
over 1000 years. Our guide’s words
bring this fiery past to life, and I
imagine myself standing in a red
tunnel of molten lava.
Underground weather
This tour has nice seasonal ele-
ments as well. In wintertime, the
cave boasts a sparkly icicle-covered
ceiling, whilst in summer it’s a rare
shelter from the never-ending day-
light. In spring and autumn, some
indoor rain is present, due to the
gathering moisture. So don’t forget
your waterproof coat.
We continue into the tunnel,
crouching, staggering and some-
times almost crawling through
the ragged walls and aisles of the
cave. The tunnel isn’t awfully long,
so there’s no need to deal with any
fear of getting lost in the depths.
Those who suffer from claustropho-
bia might need to steel themselves
for the experience, but to all other
adventurers—buckle up your head-
gear, and go for it.
After the dark underground
walk, we finally reemerge into the
dim winter light. It’s nice to take a
deep breath of fresh air. All in all,
this tour offers the chance to learn
about some amazing hidden aspects
of Iceland’s nature, and have some
fun, excitement and exercise in the
process.
SHARE & VIEW GALLERY:
gpv.is/otr09
How to get there:
Book a tour—it's required to
enter with a guide.
Distance from
Reykjavík
25 km
Tour provided by:
mountainguides.is
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G E T Y O U R D E S I G N E R B R A N D S
T A X F R E E A T K E F L A V I K A I R P O R T
56 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 09 — 2017
Going undergound
There is a light that never goes out (hopefully)
Deeper undergound We ran out of song puns