Raudibotn Crater

The colour is the reason for the drive. The rim of Raudibotn is red and rust-brown, set in dark volcanic ground. Below it a river runs green through moss-covered hills, with waterfalls along its course. Across the plain stands Mælifell, a steep cone under moss, and it comes into view from the higher ground.

The crater reads best from height. At the level of the car park the shape flattens out, and much of what gets photographed here is shot from the air. The ground around is lava, ash and moss, with nothing built on it. This is one of the least visited stops in the southern highlands.

• No facilities. No toilets, no drinking water and no information point within 5 km. Bring everything you need with you.
• River crossings. The drive in fords unbridged rivers. Take them slowly and hold a steady speed in the water.
• Weather decides the visit. Low cloud and rain hide the crater and the ground around it, and there is no shelter.
• Climb for the view. From below, the crater flattens out. The shape and the colour open up from higher on the side.

There is no public transport. The approach is by car and it has to be a 4x4, because the track fords rivers that are not bridged. Do not drive into the Hólmsá itself: turn right and look for the small tributary crossing instead. The car park sits on a small hill just beyond that last crossing, about 1.7 km from the crater. From there the walking is on unsurfaced ground. Marked trails run through the area, and the rim is reached by following the ATV tracks up the side.

Better: a clear, dry day, with enough time to walk up onto the rim.

Avoid: low cloud and rain.

Everything here depends on visibility and distance — the rust of the crater, the green river below, Mælifell across the plain. When cloud sits low, the colours go flat and the view over to the mountain disappears altogether. The crater itself also loses its shape when seen only from below, so a clear day and the climb work together.