GeologicalInterest 4/5
Gunnuhver
Gunnuhver is a cluster of steam vents and mud pools near Reykjanesviti lighthouse at the southwestern tip of the Reykjanes peninsula, reached on Route 425. Its main mud pool is the largest in Iceland at about 20 m across, fed unusually by geothermally heated seawater, and boardwalks and platforms lead close to the roaring steam.
Region
Reykjanes Peninsula
Coordinates
63.8199° N, 22.6874° W
Important to know
- High danger
- Superheated steam and boiling mud can cause severe burns, the ground is unstable, and periodic volcanic and seismic activity on Reykjanes has closed access at times; obey all closures and stay on the platforms.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair · Partial
- A boardwalk and platform reach the main viewpoint, but surfaces are uneven and steam can obscure the way.
- Limited mobility · Partial
- The walk from the car park to the platforms is short but includes slopes and boardwalk sections.
- Sensory · Limited
- Loud roaring steam, strong sulphur smell, sudden clouds of vapour, and heat can be overwhelming.
- Cognitive · Partial
- The route is signed, but visitors must keep to the platforms and understand the scalding hazard hidden by steam.
Why it matters
The site is named after Gudrún (Gunna), a woman of Icelandic folklore said to have haunted the area after a dispute over rent until a priest lured her spirit into the spring. Gunnuhver sits within the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, near the Bridge Between Continents and a monument to the last great auk killed nearby.