All fairytales have are embedded with a dark element, this one is no different. Eldhraun Lava Field in Southern Iceland is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
The dark jagged rocks are majestically softened with a blanket of green, mostly woolly fringe moss, that can be more than 50 cm thick.
Eldhraun means fire lava and the enchanting, yet fragile moss takes decades to grow on top of it. Walking on top of it is strictly prohibited, so instead plug ‘Scenic green lava walk’ into GoogleMaps which is a short sanctioned walk through one of the most lovely sections of the lava field, right on the Ring Road.
The devious component is a historical one. Starting in 1783 and lasting for 8 months the Laki eruption, known as the Skafta River Fires bombarded Iceland creating the largest lava flow in the world at 565-square-kilometers! This event is hailed as the most poisonous eruption on record, though no one died directly from the flow. The effects of episode were dubbed the Mist Hardships, on account of the toxic mist that lingered in the air comprised of fluorine, sulphur compounds, and ash fall. A profound impact was felt in the country, where 1/5 of the population died along with half of the livestock. Nothing grew in the fields that year, no fish were found in the sea creating famine and disease. Iceland was a part of the Danish Kingdom during the time and ideas circulated about removing all settlement from the island to Jutland, Denmark. The consequences didn’t stop at the source, the noxious cloud was widespread and reached other areas in Europe resulting in tens of thousands more deaths. In Britain a haze blocked the sun and there was an extremely cold winter. In spring a massive thaw caused severe flooding in Germany. Continual crop failures caused famine that are said to have resulted in the French Revolution! Suffering wasn’t just found in Europe, the results of this volcanic explosion were felt all over the world. In 1784 North America was gripped by one of the coldest winters on record, where the Mississippi River froze in New Orleans. India saw drought due to weakened monsoons and famine hit Egypt killing 1/6 of its population. The Laki eruption rocked the world. The very same volcano brought flights all over Europe to a halt in 2010 during a more recent explosion, continuing to show Mother Natures prowess over mere mortals today. Respect nature and enjoy this stunning landscape.
Fun Fact: The Apollo 11 crew trained for their 1969 moon walk on this out of this world landscape.