You will be able to safely see the fresh lava, some of it still molten and glowing red, while some of it has already turned into black rock. You will feel the heat coming off it, and smell the burning moss from underneath. This is the youngest rock you will ever see since it has just emerged from the Earth‘s mantle.
The volcanic eruption in Fagradalsfjall began on March 19th, 2021, after a few weeks of near-constant earthquakes in the area. This is a very geologically active part of Iceland since this is where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge lies and two tectonic plates move away from each other. Still, this is the first eruption on the peninsula of Reykjanes for 800 years.
The lava has now slowly spread across hills and valleys, and the new lava field is still growing in both area and thickness. Only time can tell what new mountains and landscapes will be formed, but at least you can have front-row tickets to a part of this piece of Earth‘s history.
Roundtrip transportation from Reykjavik
