Laki Craters

Iceland 2014 - Day 2 - From Vík over the Laki Craters to Núpar

23/08/2014

The Land of Ice & Fire (Part 33 - Lakagígar Craters)

Lakagígar is a row of craters, formed in one of the world's largest mixed eruptions in recorded history. This continuous series of eruptions emitted a vast quantity of lava and substantial amounts of volcanic ash from a fissure stretching 25 km across the area west of the ice cap. In June 1783, the largest eruption in historical times Skaftáreldar began here with terrible consequences for people, not only in Iceland but also in Europe, America, and Asia. Skaftáreldar eruption is considered to have killed more people around the world than any other eruption. Some have even made the claim that Skaftáreldar initiated the French Revolution as it caused crop failure and devastation in France. It is the biggest volcano activity on the planet in the last one thousand years, and the lava flow streaming from the craters covered little less than 600 square kilometers of land.

Lakagígar - Craters of Laki FULL VERSION

I had to dig down into the bottomless pit of the interwebz to find the full video.
YT had blocked part 1 (the first 8 minutes) (BBC-©-BS)

On 8 June 1783, a 25 km (15.5 mi) long fissure with 130 craters opened with phreatomagmatic (A phreatic eruption, also called a phreatic explosion, ultravulcanian eruption or steam-blast eruption) explosions because of the groundwater interacting with the rising basalt magma.

This event is rated as 4 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index,
but the eight-month emission of sulfuric aerosols resulted in one of the most important climatic and socially repercussive events of the last millennium.

The eruption, also known as the Skaftáreldar (Skaftá fires) or Síðueldur was a VEI 6,
produced an estimated 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava,
and the total volume of tephra emitted was 0.91 km3 (0.2 cu mi).

Lava fountains were estimated to have reached heights of 800 to 1,400 m (2,600 to 4,600 ft). The gases were carried by the convective eruption column to altitudes of about 15 km (10 mi).

The eruption continued until 7 February 1784,
but most of the lava was ejected in the first five months.

Grímsvötn volcano, from which the Laki fissure extends, was also erupting at the time, from 1783 until 1785.
The outpouring of gases, including an estimated 8 million tons of hydrogen fluoride and an estimated 120 million tons of sulfur dioxide, gave rise to what has since become known as the Laki haze across Europe. [Haze of Torment]

There is evidence that the Laki eruption weakened African and Indian monsoon circulations, leading to between 1 and 3 millimetres (0.04 and 0.12 in) less daily precipitation than normal over the Sahel of Africa, resulting in, among other effects, low flow in the River Nile.

The resulting famine that afflicted Egypt in 1784 cost it roughly one-sixth of its population.
The eruption was also found to have affected the southern Arabian Peninsula and India.

An estimated 120,000,000 long tons (120,000,000 t) of sulphur dioxide was emitted,

This outpouring of sulphur dioxide during unusual weather conditions caused a thick haze to spread across western Europe, resulting in many thousands of deaths throughout the remainder of 1783 and the winter of 1784.

The summer of 1783 was the hottest on record [GLOBAL WAAARMINHG]
and a rare high-pressure zone over Iceland caused the winds to blow to the south-east.

Inhaling sulphur dioxide gas causes victims to choke as their internal soft tissue swells – the gas reacts with the moisture in lungs and produces sulfurous acid.

It has been estimated that 23,000 British people died from the poisoning.

The weather became very hot, causing severe thunderstorms with large hailstones that were reported to have killed cattle,
until the haze dissipated in the autumn.

The winter of 1783–1784 was very severe;
the naturalist Gilbert White in Selborne, Hampshire, reported 28 days of continuous frost.
The extreme winter is estimated to have caused 8,000 additional deaths in the UK. During the spring thaw, Germany and Central Europe reported severe flood damage.

The meteorological impact of Laki continued, contributing significantly to several years of extreme weather in Europe.

These events contributed significantly to an increase in poverty and famine that may have contributed to the French Revolution in 1789.

Laki was only one factor in a decade of climatic disruption, as Grímsvötn was erupting from 1783 to 1785, and there may have been an unusually strong El Niño effect from 1789 to 1793.

In North America, the winter of 1784 was the longest and one of the coldest on record.
It was the longest period of below-zero temperatures in New England, with the largest accumulation of snow in New Jersey, and the longest freezing over of Chesapeake Bay.

A huge snowstorm hit the South; the Mississippi River froze at New Orleans and there were reports of ice floes in the Gulf of Mexico.

Iceland's Laki Volcano 1783 part 2 - BBC

By the time Laki stopped erupting in February 1784, it had spewed out over eight millions tons of the highly toxic chemical flourine. With livestock feeding on the poisoned ash which had fallen, Laki was to cast a deadly shadow over Iceland as it claimed the lives 10,000 people. Fascinating clip taken from the BBC Timewatch programme Killer Cloud. Watch more high quality videos on the new BBC Worldwide YouTube channel here:

Lakagígar craters

Lakagígar is the line of craters that caused one of the most spectacular eruption in the story of mankind in 1773. Magical landscape.

Driving Around Iceland - Day 3 - Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Laki (F206, F207, Highlands)

Dashcam footage from my 12 day trip to Iceland in July 2014.
Some key points in the video:

00:20 - Leaving Kirkjubæjarklaustur
02:23 - Foss á Siðu
06:35 - Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
07:13 - Start of road F206 towards Laki
14:30 - Fagrifoss parking lot
20:45 - Deepest river crossing of the trip
23:14 - Start of the Laki Loop (road F207)
29:32 - Laki
41:40 - Blágil hut

The footage is sped up 5x. The car was a Land Rover Defender.

While in Iceland I also used my DSLR camera to capture some of the beautiful and exotic landscapes. I edited the footage into a short landscape film called Exploring Iceland, which you can watch here:

You can find some pictures from the trip here:

I would definitely recommend visiting Iceland at some point in your lifetime. It's one of the most beautiful and unusual places on the planet, and you will never regret it.

You can follow my photographic adventures at:
500px (
Flickr (

Lost in lceland 4 Vik & Lakagigar

From Skogafoss to Dyrholaey Lighthouse, then Vik beach and Reynifajara Beach. Explored Lakagigar, via Fjararuljufur Canyon and Fargrifoss. Plenty of water crossings on the way into Lakagigar and a hug lava field. 7 or 8 small volcanos with one that has water, makes it very stunning.

Lakagigar HD 720p

Lakagigar. Catastrophe & Climate Change.

From an article by Jane Whaley. Video is property of Miguel Ángel Caja.

Miguel Ángel Caja's spectacular header photo, which shows the 25 km-long row of craters of Lakagigar, in southern Iceland, reveals a unique geological site and dramatic landscape. It also tells a story of catastrophe and climate change which still resonates today.

You can read more about Miguel’s travels in Iceland in the blog he wrote with his wife at imawanderluster.blogspot.com.

This video was provided by Miguel and charts the journey from the base camp to the volcanic outcrops.

To read the article follow this link -

Craters of laki in Iceland

Saxholl crater

Adventure footage took at Saxholl crater, in the Snaefellsness peninsula, Iceland.

Country Hotel Geirland in Síða Iceland - Icelandic Farm Holidays

Country hotel 3 km from Kirkjubæjarklaustur. 28 rooms with private bathroom. Daily bus tours during summer to Lakagígar craters, Eldgjá, Landmannalaugar and Skaftafell. Good hiking possibilities.
Book Geirland online -

Unnamed road from Laki, Iceland

Экстремальная дорога из Laki, Исландия до выезда на кольцевую дорогу № 1. Находится на съезде с F207 (поворот направо по указателю на Hrossatungur). Не имеет номера. В конце дороги широченный брод.

Lakagígar Highland Iceland

Part-10 Landmannalaugar Highland


Laki or Lakagígar (Craters of Laki) is a volcanic fissure situated in the south of Iceland, not far from the canyon of Eldgjá and the small town Kirkjubæjarklaustur, in Skaftafell National Park.
Laki is part of a volcanic system, centering on the Grímsvötn volcano and including the Eldgjá canyon and Katla volcano, and lies between the glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull, in an area of fissures which run in a south-west to north-east direction.
In AD 934, the Laki system produced a very large volcanic eruption, as a flood basalt in the Eldgjá eruption, which released 19.6 cubic kilometres (4.7 cu mi) of lava.
In 1783-1784, the system erupted again, from the Laki fissure and the adjoining Grímsvötn volcano, pouring out an estimated 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid/sulfur-dioxide compounds that killed over 50% of Iceland's livestock population, leading to famine which killed approximately 25% of the population.

iceland extreme

Pictures from Laki and Lakagígar craters in Iceland





Here are some more pictures from some new trip this summer on trips with tourist and on my trike or ultralight:

(Trip with Peter around Iceland, totally mad this guy, but he is pro!)
Peter Hringferð Háifoss Landmannalaugar Fjadrárgljúfur Laki Vatnajökull Hrútárjökull Íshellir Lón Krossgil Hengifoss Kárahnjúkar Hálslón Laugavellir Kverkfjöll Kúluskítur Gjástykki Leirhnjúkur Krafla Hrafntinna Kerlingarfjöll


Reykjavík Háifoss Dynkur Hrauneyjar Halli og Laddi Árni gunnarsson Gæsir Nesjavallarvirkjun Úlfljótsvatn Hvítá Búrfellsvirkjun Hjálparfoss Thjórsá Sultartángavirkjun


Hrauneyjar Landmannalaugar Fjallabak Hrauneyjavirkjun Sigalda Sigölduvirkjun lón Ljótipollur Frostastaðavatn Tungnaá Kaldakvísl Fjallabaksleid Nyrdri Krókslón Kirkjufell Laugahraun Bláhnjúkur Kýlingur Halldórsfell Réttarhnjúkur Grænafjall


Langisjór Lakagígar Grænalón Hellnafjall Sveinstindur Skaftá Grænifjallgardur Vatnajökull Laki Blængur Tjarnagígur Blágil Rauðhóll Miklafell Laufbalavatn Hverfisfljót Svartifoss Rauðhólar Eldhraun Hágöngur Grænafjall Núpsárgljúfur


Vatnajökull Ingólfshöfði Jökulsárlón Núpsstadaskógur Núpsárfoss Lómagnúpur Skeidarárjökull Skeidará Mosárdalur Skaftafell Skaftafellsjökull Svínafellsjökull Hof Ingólfshöfdi Kóngsvík Fagurhólsmýri Hnappavellir Skipsflak


Hof Reykjavík Suður strönd leirur Skeidará fjara Skeidarársandur Stóri kollur Hverfisfjörur Gígjukvísl viti sæluhús Skaftá Eldvatn Kúdarfljót Hjörleifshöfdi Vík Mýrdal Reynisdrangar Dyrhólaey Skógarfoss flugvélaflak Kleifarvatn


Reykjanes Hvalur Gæsir Hafravatn Bláfjöll Gígar flugvélaflak Langahlíd Þrihnjúkar Ljósmyndun Styrmir linsa Brennisteinsfjöll Stóribolli Gönguleid Kistufell Eldborg Stórkonugjá Sandskeid Hvalur Hvalfjördur Mótorhjól mótorkross


Mývatn trike flug Hofsjökull sólsetur Arnarfell hid mikkla Sprengisandur Thjorsarjökull Thjorsá Tungnafellsjökull Gæsavötn Trölladyngja Skjálfandafljót Bárdadalur Aldeyjarfoss Hverfjall Hverarönd Grímsey Flatey lundi puffins


McDonalds Örn afmæli Hafsteinn Reykjavíkurhöfn Starri Hettumávur austur suðurland Galtalækur Rangá Viðey Skemmtiferðaskip AIDA aura Esjan Reykjanes Hekla Bjólfell Búrfell


Reykjanes Hraun Thorhallur Thjodverji flug mótorsvifdrekar gígur gígar crater hraun lava Kleifarvatn Bláa Lónid Blue Lagoon Sony Camera flying filming

LAKI LAVA FIELDS, ICELAND

LAKI LAVA FIELDS, ICELAND

Laki, volcanic fissure and mountain in southern Iceland, just southwest of Vatna Glacier (Vatnajokull), the island's largest ice field. Mount Laki was the only conspicuous topographic feature in the path of the developing fissure eruption that is now known as Lakagígar (English: Laki Craters).

The fissure, which extends northeast-southwest, is divided into two nearly equal halves by the 2,684-foot (818-metre) mountain, which rises some 650 feet (200 m) above its immediate surroundings. Mount Laki was not completely breached by the fissure; between the fissure cuts on the slopes of the mountain, there are only a few very small craters that extruded small amounts of lava. The eruption began on June 8, 1783. Until July 29 activity was confined to the fissure southwest of Mount Laki. On July 29 the fissure northeast of the mountain became active, and from that time almost all activity was confined to that half of the fissure. The eruption lasted until early February 1784, and it is considered to be the greatest lava eruption on Earth in historical times. The commonly accepted figure for the volume of lava extruded is about 2.95 cubic miles (12.3 cubic km); that for the area covered, about 220 square miles (565 square km). The enormous quantity of volcanic gases that was released caused a conspicuous haze over most of continental Europe; haze was even reported in Syria, in the Altai Mountains in western Siberia, and in North Africa. The vast quantities of sulfurous gases stunted crops and grasses and killed most of the domestic animals in Iceland; the resulting Haze Famine eventually killed about one-fifth of Iceland's population.

Iceland Motorcycle Adventure.. Ride With Locals, Laki area.

Lakagígar (Laki craters) is a series of craters that were formed in one of the world's largest mixed eruptions in recorded history. Now referred to as the Fires of the River Skaftá (or Laki eruption), this continuous series of eruptions emitted a vast quantity of lava and substantial amounts of volcanic ash from a fissure stretching 25 km across the area west of the ice cap.

The eruption began on 8th of June 1783 at the south-west end of the fissure. Lava flowed across the flat land destroying a large number of farms, stopping just outside the small town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur on 20th of July. The north-east part of the fissure then erupted. From 29th of July until well into October, lava flowed along the course of the River Hverfisfljót and across the countryside on both banks. Although volcanic activity then began to subside, the eruption was not finally over until February 1784.

The total area of the resulting lava field is 565 km² and the estimated volume of volcanic material is over 12 km³.

Launching a Wet Wing -Flying In the RAIN - Laki Craters - Iceland on my Paramotor

Laki or Lakagígar (Craters of Laki) is a volcanic fissure in the south of Iceland, not far from the volcanic fissure of Eldgjá and the small village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
The system erupted violently over an eight-month period between June 1783 and February 1784 from the Laki fissure and the adjoining volcano Grímsvötn, pouring out an estimated 42 billion tons or 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid and sulfur dioxide compounds that contaminated the soil, leading to the death of over 50% of Iceland's livestock population, and the destruction of the vast majority of all crops. This led to a famine which then killed approximately 25% of the island's human population.[4] The lava flows also destroyed 20 villages.

Volcanic Disaster Full Documentary

Laki or Lakagígar (Craters of Laki) is a volcanic fissure in the south of Iceland, not far from the canyon of Eldgjá and the small village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Lakagígar is the correct name, as Laki mountain itself did not erupt, as fissures opened up on each side of it. Lakagígar is part of a volcanic system centered on the volcano Grímsvötn and including the volcano Þórðarhyrna.It lies between the glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull, in an area of fissures that run in a southwest to northeast direction.

The system erupted over an eight-month period between 1783 and 1784 from the Laki fissure and the adjoining volcano Grímsvötn, pouring out an estimated 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid and sulfur dioxide compounds that killed over 50% of Iceland's livestock population, leading to a famine which then killed approximately 25% of the island's human population.

The Laki eruption and its aftermath caused a drop in global temperatures, as sulfur dioxide was spewed into the Northern Hemisphere. This caused crop failures in Europe and may have caused droughts in India. The eruption has been estimated to have killed over six million people globally, making it the deadliest in historical times.

ISLANDE 2013 PISTE LAKI 2

Montée au Laki, T4 Syncro.