Skaftáreldahraun Green Lava Fields
8 July 2019
It was getting late in the evening as we drove from Reynisfjara Beach towards our campsite further east along the Ring Road. Though the sun was still up and would be until about midnight, the sky was growing gray with clouds, and we were getting tired from the long day.
As we drove to the east, we noticed that out each window the landscape seemed to be nothing but green “blobs” about as far as they eye could see. We had no idea what we were looking at, it seemed so unnatural, almost otherworldly. I feel I’ve used that word a bit since coming to Iceland, but there isn’t another way to describe it. There was no traffic at all along the road, so I slowed a bit so Beth could get some shots out the window. There was nothing but miles and miles of these green blobs!
Eventually we found a pull off spot, with a rest area leading to an information panel and a “green lava walk”. We were tired and needed to get to the campsite, but this area was so strange and unique, we had to stop to check it out!
The Skaftáreldahraun Green Lava Fields are made from a lava flow that is one of the largest that has occurred on Earth during recorded history. The Volcano had erupted for eight months, spewing basalt lava into the fields into smooth clusters in what is known as “Pahoehoe Lava”. This lava flow covers about 12 square kilometers of land! Over time, moss has grown on the rocks, creating these green lava fields. I’ve since read that the fields can look kinda dull; but after the rains when they are wet, they display a brilliant green. Luckily the gray skies and damp weather has paid off, as we looked out over the fields with their magnificent color!
There was a roped off trail with the moss cleared off the rocks, displaying the lava flow beneath as well as giving a firmer step. We walked along the trail, taking in the amazing landscape. Just when you think you have seen the most unique environments in Iceland, this land gives you another surprise!
As we finished the trail and read the informational panels, they told a story with a very interesting suggestion…
While no one was killed during the eruption, the period that followed was known as the Mist Hardships. Toxic gasses hung in the air and contaminated the soil, either destroying vegetation or turning it poisonous along with the water. One-fifth of the population along with half the livestock perished during the Hardships. It became so desperate that there was even talk of the people abandoning Iceland and attempting to resettle in Denmark.
But as bad as the Hardships were in Iceland, they didn’t end there. Within a couple days of the eruption, the toxic gasses mixed with the moisture in the sky to form sulfuric acid in the air. The eruption was so severe that the acidic mist had spread, reaching as far as Russia, parts of North Africa, and even midway through the United States. Hardest hit outside of Iceland was Western Europe, where it is theorized that many people and crops had died from air pollution from the eruption. One suggestion made is that the French Revolution – a turning point in world history – while inspired by the people to escape extreme poverty, was ultimately triggered from starvation among the poor people as the result of famine after numerous years of crop failure. It is suggested that these crops could have failed because of the poisonous mist from this eruption. If this suggestion is accurate, the Skaftáreldahraun Lava Field is more than just a local disaster and unique natural area, it is the catalyst for a major turning point in world history. What a concept!
