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Wonder
Grýla – geyser near Hveragerði
In short
Now Grýla is dormant or even extinct geyser – but some decades ago it was one of the most impressive Icelandic geysers.
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GPS coordinates
Location, address
Alternate names
Height
Map of the site
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In detail
Hveragerði
Hveragerði is an unusual town even by Icelandic standards – it is not just surrounded by hot springs but the town itself is built over such springs. In the center of the town is a spectacular geothermal field – Hveragerði Geothermal Park – with several geysers (one active!), hot springs, mud pools. Exclusive city park!
Numerous greenhouses use the immense energy of the Earth – Hveragerði is one of the main suppliers of vegetables and fruits (even bananas!) in Iceland. As a result during the long winter nights, the town is illuminated by the bright lights of greenhouses.
Grýla
Grýla is a geyser that has been named after quite a nasty creature – legendary ogress Grýla. This troll (or trolless?) together with her husband Leppaluði (there is another hot spouter nearby named after him) attacked people, especially children.
Geyser itself some decades ago was quite impressive. It could have been up to 10 m high, with a thin jet. Norwegian geologist Tomas F. W. Barth reported that the geyser emitted thin jets of water which were up to 6 m high in 1934, eruptions had an interval of 2.5 hours.
Around 1970 this geyser gradually stopped its activity. The loss of this geyser could be linked to the boreholes which have been made in the town since the 1940ies to obtain geothermal energy.
In the 1970ies this geyser could be “operated” with the help of soap – but now even this does not help. There still is seen the narrow, vertical vent which goes to the depth of some three meters.
References
- Dirk Niemann, Hveragerði and Grændalur, Volcanic Springs. Accessed on April 17, 2019. (Great website!)
Grýla is included in the following article:
Linked articles
Wonders of Iceland
Iceland is very rich with peculiar natural landmarks and the island contains also interesting cultural landmarks. The highlights of Iceland are the magnificent waterfalls as well as geysers and other geothermal features.
Geysers
Hasty hydrogeologists would say: geysers are thermodynamically and hydrodynamically unstable hot springs. “Normal” people would say – geysers are hot springs that at more or less regular intervals shoot up a fountain of boiling water and steam. Sometimes these fountains are even 100 m tall… or even 450 m!
Wonders of Europe
The heritage of Europe is diverse and endlessly interesting. Incomparably rich is the wealth of European historical architecture, but this part of the world has exciting natural heritage and archaeological heritage as well.
Recommended books
Iceland Travel Guide
Iceland Travel Guide Introduction This book includes all the necessary links for an easy journey to your Icelandic adventure. To make your Iceland travel more entertaining and full of all of the things that you want, you’ll see a step-by-step route around the entire country, indicating the distance in miles, accommodations, recreation, entertainment, shopping, and much more. This Iceland travel guide will be the perfect companion to see all of the hottest spots, like Blue Lagoon, Iceland, and other must-sees.
The Glorious Geology of Iceland’s Golden Circle
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