weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

South of the two falls we visted yesterday, close to the large lake Myvatn, lies the very interesting Namafjall geothermal area - and if you are into brilliantly colored landscapes, then this is the place for you. I had fun here shooting the starkly colored landscape and got mesmerized by the actions in the mud pools and hope that you will enjoy the experience as well.

Quoting from Atlas Obscura:

"In Northeastern Iceland lies something of an oxymoron: a steaming desert.

Normally, desert landscapes are characterized by a distinct lack of activity. Other than the occasional stray tumbleweed, tourists shouldn’t expect to see much more than a few stoic cacti basking in the sun. But in Northeastern Iceland is a site that defies all norms: a steaming, bubbling desert.

Namafjall is a geothermal area located east of Lake Myvatn, looking like a mixture of an alien landscape and the Hell from Dante’s Inferno. Located at the base of a towering volcanic mountain, this site features a large collection of boiling mud pots and steam springs called fumaroles, which are openings in the ground that emit sulfurous gases.

During the drive toward the site, the surrounding area could almost be mistaken for an Arizonan desert, but as visitors draw closer to Namafjall, any sense of familiarity drops away. At this site, the desert splits open and steams like a boiling kettle - but it’s not water that the fumaroles and mud pots are spewing into the atmosphere. In order for visitors to enjoy the unique landscape at Namafjall, they must be willing to endure the stench of the noxious fumes emitted from the cracks in the ground, which smell distinctly like rotten eggs.

These fumes have driven away any plant life from the area (as they do tourists with sensitive noses), leaving the site as barren of vegetation as Mars. But if visitors can manage to suffer through the stench, they can wander through a landscape unlike any other. In addition to the fumaroles and mud pots, bright arrays of colored mineral deposits adorn the ground around the area. So, even though the site is devoid of plants, the dirt appears to be teeming with a vibrancy that even the showiest lichens and mosses would be hard pressed to match. "

Notes:
My trip introduction in set 1 provides a MAP of the tour plus general information. Please use the link below If you would like to review these:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-667725-1.html

To view earlier posts of this series, access my profile via the link below, then click on the figure behind "# of topics created" for the list of posts:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user-profile?usernum=45105

Thanks for visiting, I recommend viewing the downloads and look forward to your comments and questions.
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1 - Namafjall geo-thermal volcano area with active fumaroles spewing steam and gases into the air

(Download)

2 - Namafjall geo-thermal area at the foot of the like-named active volcano with fascinating fumaroles and earth formations

(Download)

3 - Colorful mineral deposits convert the grounds into an artist's palette, enhanced by foggy whiffs of sulpherous airs

(Download)

4 - Hot water pool with mud bubles

(Download)

5 - Deep mud pool with mud bubble

(Download)

6 - Erupting mud bubble

(Download)

7 - Crevasse area with mud pool

(Download)

8 - Another mud pool with mud bubbles

(Download)

9 - Growing and erupting bubbles

(Download)

10 - Hot bed of eruptions

(Download)

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Good leg of the tour, lots of "steamy" subjects, Joe!

OneShot1 Loc: Wichita, KS, USA

So cool. Thanks. I've seen Yellowstone and Rotorua, NZ, but I never tire of these fascinating geothermal features.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

COOL!!!

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you very much Mike - and let's not forget: There is water in them bubbles! Have a great Sunday! Joe

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you OneShot, same with me, these are endlessly fascinating. Thanks for looking in and welcome to the tour, hope you will enjoy the beautiful Icelandic scenery. Joe

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Bill for your appreciation. Have a great Sunday! Joe

timcc Loc: Virginia

Great shots! We're hoping to go there next spring, covid permitting, and your "tours" have been very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you very much and welcome to the "tour", Tim. I am happy that my travelogues have been inspiring to you and can prepare you a bit for what you are going to experience. Are you going to concentrate on the Golden Circle and maybe Snaefellsnes or are you going the "whole hog" doing the Ring Road on a self drive? I am sure you are going to like it over there - just hope this Covid thing will be over by then. Enjoy your Sunday - Joe

Ourspolair

These are great images as usual, but this series is almost other-worldly. Thanks for sharing your great work. Please stay well.

timcc Loc: Virginia

We'll be on a NatGeo circumnavigation cruise, with lots of ventures inland. Your tours have given me a good roadmap of what to look for on the land expeditions. Thanks.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Ours - yes, I felt that way too, almost like on another planet .... Have a good rest of the Sunday! Joe

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

I can imagine that such a circumnavigation cruise will make a lot of sense in the case of Iceland, because so much of the things to see are along the coast or not far inland, maybe except up where I just showed the last couple of episodes in the gravel desert and the Rjukandi falls or similar inland places. I personally still prefer by far the adventure of "doing it myself" and having the time to stop and go where I want to go and without a lot of people tagging along at the same time, but I am sure you will get a very good experience out of a NatGeo cruise.

Good luck and enjoy the exciting experience, hopefully it will be possible to function this coming spring. Joe

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Joe, these are awesome!

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Interesting and very nicely photographed.