races of the ashes from the last eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull, which magnifies the contrasts on the ice. From the lake, the glacier stretches upwards. Take a few hundred meters of the path that starts from the car park to have a more unobstructed view of the glacier. You will then see the glacier's heights appear, tinged with an incredible sky blue! For more information and photos, please visit our article dedicated to the Svínafellsjökull.
It was by chance that we discovered Kviárjökull glacier, a part of the Öræfajökull, a secondary glacier from the Vatnajökull, which is a little further back from the road. Halfway between the Skaftafellsjökull and Jökulsárlón, the access to the Öræfajökull is simply signposted from a small sign indicating Kviamyrarkambur. A dirt road of about 300 meters leads to a car park. Then, a path climbs up small hills that will allow us to take a little height to admire the glacier from above.
This time the observation is done from a little further away, but the panorama is really nice, especially when the sky is clear.
Fjallsjökull and its lake, Fjallsárlón
Near Route 1 is the Fjallsjökull and its iceberg lake, the Fjallsárlón. This little gem was still a little-known place a few years ago, but it was without counting on the arrival of mass tourism in Iceland. Today, the lake has become an almost as popular attraction as Jökulsárlón. It is also possible to make boat tours.
The Fjallsjökull glacier ends its journey in a small lake. The opposite bank is not far away, which allows you to admire the icebergs and glacier at the same time. What's interesting is to stay and watch the icebergs drift and hear large blocks of ice crumbling away from the glacier in a huge crash. There is an isolated point of view, still little known because it is accessible after an unpaved track of about 1.5 km and not yet marked in 2016. To get there, we give you all the information in our article dedicated to Fjallsárlón.
The Breiðamerkurjökull and its lake, Jökulsárlón
This is one of the most popular places in Iceland. The famous iceberg lake of Jökulsárlón was formed following the melting of the Breiðamerkurjökull's glacier. The show is fascinating! Today, the lake is growing larger and larger, so that the glacier front is now 3 km from the sea and can only be seen if the weather is clear. The lake ends its journey in the ocean, passing through a small channel where the pieces of ice pile up before running aground along the immense black sand beach that borders the area. Boat tours are organized all year round to get a closer look at the icebergs (but we don't endorse them).
Take your time to discover the Jökulsárlón lagoon and don't stop at the two large car parks on either side of the channel. Solitary and much more impressive points of view are accessible from small car parks located upstream, before reaching the channel. You will find all the details in our article dedicated to Jökulsárlón.
The Mýrdalsjökull is another large glacier located west of the Vatnajökull. With its 596 km², it is the 4th largest glacier on the island. Road 1 runs along it for more than 40 km, but the glacier is located about 10 km from the road, and it is mainly on the other side of the road, from the F210 that the view is most spectacular. A route that is also recommended for all adventurers equipped with a good 4x4. You will find more information in this article dedicated to F210 track.
The Mýrdalsjökull is now under close surveillance as it hosts several volcanoes, including the famous Katla, whose crater is buried under several hundred metres of ice. Its eruptions are fairly regular, and there is every indication that the next eruption may be taking place in the near future. This could then have devastating consequences, following the formation of huge Jökulhlaup.
Sólheimajökull is the only glacier of the Mýrdalsjökull which is located in the south of the island, making it easily accessible from Route 1. It is also probably the first glacier you will discover during your stay in Iceland if you turn counter-clockwise.
The Sólheim