Dimmuborgir

Dimmuborgir is a remarkable zone of massive lava rock formations. The Icelandic folklore, which heavily promotes trolls and legends, maintains the belief that these rocks are trolls frozen in time (and some do look quite life-like).  The head of the house Gryla, her husband and their children, the Yule Lads (Santa’s elves equivalent), who are ornery and sly, all call this rocky outcropping home. Dimmuborgir means dark castles, a name earned by the tall lava pillars.

This is a vast, multi-tracked area with both well-marked pathways and gravel tracks that deviate from the more obvious trails. Many paths wind through the rocks, offering hikes ranging from 10 minutes in length to an hour. If one decides to wander, be aware of the track back to the path of origin, as it’s rather easy to get lost. There is an additional trail that will lead from Dimmuborgir all the way to Hverfjall, though this path is steeper and more challenging than the hike from the base of the crater.