Mývatn and Laxá

I visited this tWHS in 2022 as one of the main stops along the ring road loop. Unsurprisingly in Iceland, its OUV lies in geological features which through the passage of time have shaped rich habitats particularly for avifauna.

The geological features are indeed spectacular which seems to be quite a constant almost everywhere in Iceland. Myvatn and Laxa are situated along the volcanic zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The perfectly shaped pseudo craters which were formed by steam explosions as hot lava flowed into the lake some 2,300 years ago are more impressive from a distance or from the air than by climbing the few trails or wooden boardwalks present. There are a couple of panoramic viewpoints around the lake with information boards in English on the different geological phenomena and on the biodiversity present here. Luckily it seemed to be too windy for the infamous midges which give Myvatn its name to roam around so I could easily enjoy different hikes around the area. At the pseudo craters location I opted for the signposted birdwatching trail which goes pretty close to the nesting and resting sites of several species of birds, mostly waders, small passerines and above all geese and ducks. Several species of the latter, some quite rare, nest here in the largest numbers recorded almost anywhere else in the world. Apart from their differing distinct plumage, keep your eyes peeled for the colour of the ducks' eyes, the rare ones have red eyes (Great Northern …

The Mývatn-Laxá Nature Conservation Area in northern Iceland consists of Lake Mývatn - a shallow lake - and its outflowing river Laxá. Together they are important for bird conservation, especially of ducks. Of course (this is Iceland after all) they are located in an active volcanic area as well, which has shaped the landscape. There are several short walks that you can do from the road around the lake, which combined make for a fun, active day. Fortunately the weather was dry and sunny when I visited; in the rain the charm of this area will soon elude you.

I started at Höfdi, a small peninsula / rocky promontory which reaches into Lake Mývatn. I had arrived early, but the trail turned out to be closed between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. to give the birds a rest. So I stopped by again later in the morning. The 1 hour-hiking trail here leads through a forest, which is a rarity in Iceland. It provides access to several excellent viewpoints over the lake and its rocks and islets created by lava.

I continued my loop around the lake by visiting Skutustadir. This is where the pseudo craters can be seen, the other potential OUV of this site next to the duck life. Pseudo craters are small hills that look like extinct volcanoes, but were actually formed when hot lava reached the lake. Water that came under it eventually pushed itself out of the “crater” like steam. This rare feature …

Mývatn lake is right on the 1 loop road around Iceland and thus impossible to miss. Lots and lots of people come to the area for the hot spring baths (mainly via Akureyri from the looks of it) and I have to say: don't do the Blue Lagoon - come here instead! Just open TripAdvisor for the Blue Lagoon and sort by negative reviews first to read how disgusting and overpriced it is plus the scenery down there is nothing spectacular for Iceland standard, thus it's basically for those with little time or lack of venturing further than Reykjavik and the Golden Circle. But this isn't a review for the hot springs anyway.

The lake is large but I don't find anything special about it. There were some ducks but overall, boring. The interested sections were the natural baths were they filmed Game of Thrones (look it up yourself as I won't post any story info no matter how old/minor). Unfortunately just a handful of people crowd out the small entrance and tourists often hang around here longer than one would think is worth checking it out for. There are quite a few of these and you can do mini hikes. The ever changing weather in Iceland made it a no-go for anything but 10min outside the car.

Unfortunately I didn't find it too amazing (the hot spring spa was nice) and it just seems like a regular place in Iceland. Still nice, don't get me wrong, but …

The Myvatn lake in northern iceland is aptly named "midge lake", as it is home to clouds of annoying flies, at least in summer. The flies can be a real damper on your travel experience here, to the point where putting a flynet around your head turns from a ridiculous tourist folly into a totally reasonable and diserable act. The area is a major tourist destination, with multiple sightseeing stations around the lake. A typical trip around the lake could include:

• Skutustadagigar: An area of the lake shore with a lot of the typical pseudocraters. Nice views and a pleasent walk, if you don't mind the swarms of flies chasing you (Views 3/5, Flies 5/5).
• Dimmuborgir: A lava field next to the lake, with enormous lava rock towers to walk amongst. Crowded with tourists, but most do not advance far from the shortest walking circle (Views 5/5 Flies 4/5 at parking, 1/5 at church rock (most distant point)).
• Hverfjall: A hill-sized ash crater, which can be climbed for views and bragging rights. Too strenuous for me.
• Grjotagja: A nice little natural hot water grotto, about 10min. from the lake. Bathing is no longer allowed, and it can get overcrowded, still worth it in my opinion (Views 4/5, Flies 2/5).
• Nature baths: Hot water springs, about 10min. from the lake. Fully developed with spa building and entrance fees, so not too much nature. Not visited.
• Namaskard: A geothermic area with fumerols and mud pools, …