Frostastadavatn (Frostastaðavatn) Lake

Frostastadavatn (Frostastaðavatn) Lake

This beautiful lake is sited at the crossroads of F225 and F208. With an average depth of just 6m, the lake is popular with anglers and offers good Arctic char fishing.

In summer a pair of the great northern diver's nest in the area and their plaintive cry echoes over the water as they call to one another. 

This large striking black and the white bird sits low in the water as its feathers have rather little oil in them, allowing it to dive long and deep for its fish. 

There are only 150 breeding pairs of great northern divers in Iceland, though the bird is very common in the USA and Canada, where it is known as the ‘Loon’.

Drive to the viewpoint on the saddle above the lake and marvel at the range of colors on the mountains framing the lake. 

A walking trail starts here, leading up the hill to a ridge for an even better view. 

From there you can see where the viscous, slow-flowing rhyolite lava oozed out of a fissure on the ridge, descending to the lake. 

There is also a path up the small perfectly-formed crater 100m further down the road.