Eldhraun Lava Field lies in Skaftárhreppur, in South Iceland, and fills the valley west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. The lava was laid down by the Laki eruption of 1783 and now carries a continuous cover of green moss. A car park on the road at the edge of the field is the access point. Roped paths run from it onto the lava and back in a small loop, so the moss and the rough surface of the flow can be seen close up. The field runs out of sight in every direction and is visible from the road long before the car park.
Eldhraun Lava Field
Local name: Eldhraun
The lava under the moss was laid down by the Laki eruption of 1783, and the moss growing over it takes hundreds of years to come back once it is crushed.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible parking spaces at the car park
- Parking
- Free car park at the edge of the lava field, signposted from the road; free street parking as well. Well kept but not large.
- Difficulty
- Roped paths from the car park make a small loop over the lava. Allow 10–15 minutes.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day
- Address
- Route 1 (Þjóðvegur), 881 Iceland
What makes it special
The moss is the point. Eldhraun Lava Field is dark, broken rock, and nearly all of it is under a deep green moss that takes hundreds of years to grow. Roped paths lead from the car park out onto the flow, close enough to see how the moss sits on the stone.
The scale registers before you arrive. The lava fills the valley west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur and stretches out of sight, and you drive alongside it well before the car park. Set expectations plainly: this is rock and moss, and the reward is texture and quiet, with birdsong the loudest thing around. Where people have stepped off the paths the damage shows as bare scars, and it will outlast everyone who made it.
Good to know
- Stay on the roped paths. Moss crushed underfoot takes hundreds of years to grow back, and trampled patches from earlier visitors are still visible.
- No toilets. The car park has no toilets and no other facilities.
- Expect rock and moss. There is no single focal point here. The draw is the lava surface and its moss cover, seen close up.
Getting there
Set the car park as your destination rather than the lava field: Google Maps does not give directions to Eldhraun Lava Field itself. The sign for the car park and view point is clear from the road, and the lava is alongside you for a long stretch before you reach it. Nothing more is needed on arrival. The roped paths start at the car park and make a small loop over the flow, so the walk out and back is done from where you leave the car.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you walk out onto the lava?
Yes, on the marked routes. Paths marked out with rope lead from the car park into a small loop over the flow. Stepping off them crushes moss that needs hundreds of years to recover, and the damage stays visible for decades.How long does a visit take?
The roped loop takes 10–15 minutes, longer if you stop to photograph. It also works as a 5–10 minute break from driving.What is there to see?
Dark lava under a continuous cover of green moss, filling the valley west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur and running out of sight. It is a landscape stop rather than a sight with one focal point.When was the lava formed?
In the eruption of 1783, which flooded this valley. The moss grew over the lava afterwards and is now the living surface of the field.