Comments on: Behind the volcano

By: Joerg

Joerg — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:54:04 +0000

The area behind the volcanoes is definitely my favourite hiking area in Iceland. Apart from the Laugavegur there are a number of other choices like the Strútstigur or the Sveinstindur – Skælingar trail and I am time and again stunned by the colorful landscape, particularly the neon green moss. If I am not mistaken, the prominent green mountain on the picture with the Eyjafjallajökull is Hattafell.

One of the places along this road I hope to visit at good weather conditions one day is beautiful Mælifell, a singular neon green cone standing out of the black sands behind Mýrdalsjökull.

The landscape in the South has indeed changed a lot since I had been there in may. Particularly at Rauðafell and Þorvaldseyri it appears amazingly green with the still black mountains in the background.

By: kevin oconnor,waterford,ireland

kevin oconnor,waterford,ireland — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:49:40 +0000

@Michael Lewis good ecology point well made sir.

By: Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:57:24 +0000

“when the road dives directly into the water and one splashes merrily along for several hundred meters in a shallow pebbled stream”

Doing that could destroy Salmon or Trout spawning redds (depending on time of year), but generally not the best of things to do for the ecology of a stream to drive a 4WD through it. Suprised its legal in Iceland to do that.

By: kevin oconnor,waterford,ireland

kevin oconnor,waterford,ireland — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:45:46 +0000

Wonderful piccie’s of a largely empty landscape, for God’s sake somebody do something and put up a parking lot, ha ha ha.

By: Stephen Cowdery

Stephen Cowdery — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:26:05 +0000

I couldn’t imagine the IWR getting any better, but this is simply wonderful. It is hard to express in words what Elisa’s elegant posts have meant to me over the years; they are travel writing taken up a couple of notches. When people ask me what Iceland is really like I always refer them to her blog and the IWR.

By: Mike Richards

Mike Richards — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:18:29 +0000

Thanks Elisa,

That bottom photo is just jaw dropping – and you’ve had some more awesome weather by the look of it. I assume that’s Eyafjallajökull smouldering away in the background.