Hveravellir () is a geothermal field (high temperature field) of the
Oddnýjarhnjúkur-Langjökull subglacial volcanic system in the north of
Langjökull
Langjökull (, Icelandic for "long glacier") is the second largest ice cap in Iceland (953 km2), after Vatnajökull. It is situated in the west of the Icelandic interior or Highlands of Iceland and can be seen clearly from Haukadalur.
Its ...
glacier.
Description
Hveravellir geothermal area is a small nature reserve and a tourist centre located in 600 m a.s.l. at the
Kjölur
Kjölur () is a plateau in the highlands of Iceland, roughly defined as the area between the Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. It lies at an elevation of about 600–700 metres.
Geography
At the northern end of the Kjölur road, near the ...
mountain route between the glaciers
Hofsjökull
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Hofsjökull ( Icelandic: "temple glacier", ) is the third largest ice cap in Iceland after Vatnajökull and Langjökull and the largest active volcano in the country. It is situated in the west of the Highlands of Iceland and north o ...
and Langjökull, Central Iceland.
It is part of the Oddnýjarhnjúkur-Langjökull volcanic system.
The place has been a popular resting place in highland travels since the age of settlement, 1100-1200 years ago. It is frequently mentioned in the old sagas, annals and folklore. Refuge huts have been situated there from the early beginning. The main geothermal activity is at the northern border of the large lava shield
Kjalhraun . The main geothermal area covers around 2.5 km². The hot springs are of various types,
geysers,
fumarole
A fumarole (or fumerole) is a vent in the surface of the Earth or other rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcani ...
s,
solfatara
A fumarole (or fumerole) is a vent in the surface of the Earth or other rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcani ...
s, boiling pits and warm springs with lower temperatures. The currently active geysers only have small irregular eruptions.
Sinter and
geyserite
Geyserite, or siliceous sinter, is a form of opaline silica that is often found as crusts or layers around hot springs and geysers. Botryoidal geyserite is known as fiorite. Geyserite is porous due to the silica enclosing many small cavities. S ...
is prominent, forming low and wide domes around active or extinct geothermal centres. In
Breiðimelur north of the main thermal area are several steam vents where people have baked black rye bread in the hot ground. A continuation of the thermal area can be traced several km towards north were several hot springs are found.
The oldest excoct description of Hveravellir dates back to 1752 when Icelandic travelers
Eggert Ólafsson
Eggert Ólafsson (1 December 1726 – 30 May 1768) was an Icelandic explorer, writer and conservator of the Icelandic language. He also worked to revive the Icelandic culture and economy.
Background
He was the son of a farmer from Svefneyjar in ...
(1726–1768) and
Bjarni Pálsson (1719–1779) described the field in their travel report on the island.
The geothermal field is a
tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement.
Types
Places of natural ...
; a bath can be taken in the pool created by damming the hot water stream in 1950. Hveravellir is a declared natural monument.
Climate
See also
*
List of volcanoes in Iceland
This list of volcanoes in Iceland includes active and dormant volcanic mountains, of which 18 have erupted since human settlement of Iceland began around 900 AD.
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List
Volcanic zones and systems
Iceland has four major volcanic ...
References
{{Authority control
West Volcanic Zone of Iceland
Highlands of Iceland