Mountainous Monday: Vindbelgjarfjall

In today’s Mountainous Monday we’ll describe the Vindbelgjarfjall, which is sometimes also called Vindbelgur. This mountain lies in Iceland on the shore of Iceland’s most famous lake: Mývatn. In our opinion, Vindbelgjarfjall is a must visit for visitors who are going to the Mývatn area.

I’ve climbed the mountain three times and each time it was a great adventure.

You can access this 529 meter tall peak from a trailhead along the road around the lake, just south of the Vindbelgjarfjall Mountain.

This trail runs along generally flat land to the back of the Vindbelgjarfjall. Here, you can see some examples of how hot streams of lava have created tunnels in the past. On the sides of the trail you can spot various vents from these tunnels. After a while, the flat path to west side of the mountain it takes a vertical turn and leads curling and twisting to the summit.

The Vindbelgjarfjall isn’t that hard to climb (unless you’re not an experienced hiker), but you have be careful for loose rocks. It takes about forty-five minutes to an hour for the ascent and then ofcourse you still have to get down again.

On a clear day you will have an amazing view over the Icelandic landscape.  You can spot all the must see features of the Iceland’s Myvatn area:
1. The Hverfjall crater, a fun walk around the tephra ring of this explosion crater.
2. Dimmuborgir, getting lost in the lava labyrinth of pseudo-craters.
3. Pseudo craters at Skútustaðir, green rootless cones with their remarkable shape.
4. Count all the ice formed table mountains you can see with flatted tops.

And as a additional feature, because of the active volcanism this unique area is full of life. You can spot very rare waterbirds and various other wildlife.

Mývatn means ‘midge lake’ or the lake of the midges. Be brave, get out there and don’t be bothered with the midges. They won’t kill you!

If you want to read all the other Mountainous Monday posts, please click here.

More reading about Iceland? You might enjoy these:
– A Iceland selfie special.
– Mountainous Monday: Rjúpnafell
– Hiking the Laugavegur

More about midges? You probably want to read this:
Sandflies … it’s not us, it’s you!

Thanks for sharing!