Namafjall (Námafjall)- Boiling Mud Pools
Namafjall (Námafjall)- Boiling Mud Pools
Hverarond is a geothermal area at the foot of the ochre and beige colored mountain, Namafjall.
One of Iceland's most colorful and accessible geothermal areas, it is located 3km from the village of Reykjahlíd on road 1, heading east.
You can stroll among the bubbling grey mud pools but be sure to stay within the marked areas for your safety.
Paths and boardwalks lead to some of the larger solfataras, allowing a closer approach to photography.
Hverarond is what geologists term a high-temperature area, where the temperature at 1000m deep is over 200 degrees Celsius. Mineral-rich steam and water rise to the surface.
The water and gases contained within it are very acidic and decompose the surrounding rock into clay and mud.
The area is constantly changing; mud pools die out and dry up and new ones form. The most active ones form a spatter wall around them, resembling a miniature crater.
Steam roars from some experimental boreholes on the site. You'll notice sulfur deposits around the springs.
These were mined during the Middle Ages when sulfur became Iceland's chief export. When better deposits were discovered in Sweden, Iceland lost this important trade but the name of the mountain gives us a clue: Namafjall means 'mine mountain'.
If you have time, take the path from the mud pools to the ridge of the mountain, (a 20-30 minute climb) from where you can look down over the site and enjoy a view of the Lake Myvatn area.