18 pictures of magical Mývatnssveit in North Iceland
The biosphere in lake Mývatn is in many ways unique. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson
Mývatnssveit is an area of extremes in North East Iceland. Lake Mývatn with its deep blue colour and unique biosphere. Surrounded by old craters, some half covered with moss.
Close by there is Dimmuborgir, a field of tall stacks of dark lava in different shapes and sizes. Walking around it creates a feeling of being in a maze.
Námaskarð isn't far off, with bubbling clay and water, steam rising up from every hole in the ground.
The high altitudes makes it one of the coldest habitated places in Iceland in winter. The change is drastic when warm summer comes and changes the blue/white winterland into green, where moss and grass covere much of ancient lava fields.
Námaskarð geothermal area. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson
Mývatn turns into a wonderland in winter. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Birkir Fanndal
Many of the craters by the lake are covered in moss and grass. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson
The autumn colours in Mývatn are beautiful. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Brynjar Gauti
Leirhnjúkur geothermal area, close to Krafla volcano. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson
The surface of lake Mývatn usually freezes in winter. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Birkir Fanndal Haraldsson
Fall colours at Mývatn Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson
Bubbling geothermal water at Námaskarð Photo: Iceland Monitor/Heiðar Kristjánsson
There are many craters surrounding the lake. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson
Dimmuborgir are tall lava stacks by Mývatn. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Golli / Kjartan Þorbjörnsson
Kálfaströnd Farm by lake Mývatn. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Birkir Fanndal Haraldsson
Mývatnssveit is often one of the coldest places in Iceland in winter. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Birkir Fanndal
Walking around Dimmuborgir feels a bit like walking through a maze. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Árni Sæberg
Mývatn is less than 100 km away from Akureyri, the biggest town in North Iceland. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Birkir Fanndal Haraldsson
Námaskarð geothermal area. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson
Krafla Volcano isn't far from Mývatn, it last erupted for 9 years, 1975-1984.
The fish at Mývatn feeds on the midge flies the lake is named after.
Mývatnssveit is in North East Iceland. Photo: map.is
