Walking Path Around Holuhraun Opens

You can now take a walk close to the Holuhraun lava field, provided you are very, very careful.

RÚV reports that employees of Vatnsjökull National Park have opened a walking path just north of the lava field, near Dyngjusand. While this means the possibility of the singularly rare expensive of seeing still-warm lava up close, it is not without its risks.

The “path” is replete with chunks of hardened lava of varying sizes, making walking not only very difficult but possibly treacherous. Hjörleifur Finnsson, a ranger for the park, told reporters that the path is “dangerous for the inexperienced, or at the very least challenging.”

Those who believe they can handle the risks, however, are in for a sight: while the lava is no longer in glowing, liquid magma form, it is still quite hot. Steam can be seen rising from the field, and the lava is as good as freshly formed.

It will yet be a while before visitors will be able to walk right up to the field, let alone on it, but for now the challenge of navigating the way this close to the field awaits.