Vindbelgjarfjall Hiking Trail

The Myvatn region is a paradise of hiking trails, each more memorable than the last.

When you arrive near the lake via Road number 1 or the 848, the most notable feature of the landscape is the Hverfjall crater and the Vindbelgjarfjall mountain.

The Vindbelgjarfjall mountain rises to an altitude of 529 m and if you have the courage to climb to the summit, you can enjoy a truly stunning view of Lake Myvatn and its surroundings. This is one of the main points of interest of the Myvatn region.

An extraordinary view from the summit of Vindbelgjarfjall

To reach the mountain and its hiking trail of legend, you must drive to the north shore of the lake along Road number 1. A small car park indicated “Vindbelgur” lies not far from the Vagnbrekka farm, so you can leave your car very close to Vindbelgjarfjall where the hike starts from.

It's a 20-minutes walk along a 1 km with no elevation, the path clearly marked by yellow pegs, crossing the moor to reach the foot of the mountain.

It's a relaxing walk, with rich bird life and wild geese wandering along the trail, and to protect their habitat it is recommended you avoid leaving the trail. As is often the case in Myvatn, in the summer you will be surrounded by midges.

The trail cuts at first through a lush environment and is initially quite user-friendly, with logs laid out to form stairs when the ascent gets a bit difficult. But it does get quite steep and quite slippery in places with stone underfoot, and the lush lowlands give way to more mountainous landscapes.

After a 30-minute walk from the foot of the mountain you will reach the summit, topped by a cairn, and the wind can be fierce so hold onto your hat!

On a clear day, the view of the Skutustaðir volcanic cones is simply magnificent, and there is no better spot to admire the striking contrast between the green cones and the blue lake. This plateau gives you a full 360° panoramic view. This is without a doubt the best place to admire Lake Myvatn and Namafjall and its orange colors, as well as the Hverfjall crater.

You walk back the way you came in about 40 minutes to reach the car park (the total hike takes about 1.5 hours with an elevation of 270 m). This 5 km hiking trail is no challenge at all, and in good weather offers the kind of view you won't soon forget.