Hveravellir

Hveravellir is one of Iceland’s most famous geothermal areas, located in the central highlands at an elevation of about 650 meters, between Langjökull and Hofsjökull. The site is a popular resting point for travelers crossing the highland route Kjölur.

The earliest written descriptions of Hveravellir date back to 1752, when Icelandic scholars Eggert Ólafsson and Bjarni Pálsson documented the area in their travel journals. They described the geothermal activity and noted a particularly noisy hot spring known as Öskurhóll, named for its roaring sounds.

Hveravellir is known for its colorful geothermal deposits, boiling mud pools, steam vents, and natural hot springs. The area also contains historical remains linked to the outlaw Fjalla-Eyvindur and his wife Halla, who once lived here in hiding.

A traditional mountain shelter was built at Hveravellir in 1922 on older ruins. Later, the Icelandic Touring Association constructed huts in 1938, making the site one of the few highland shelters heated with geothermal water.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office operated a manned weather station at Hveravellir from 1965 until the early 21st century, when automated systems replaced it.

Hveravellir represents a rare combination of geothermal energy, history, and wilderness, and remains one of the most remarkable destinations in Iceland’s central highlands.

Source: Wikipedia
Photo: Jóna Kristín