Kleifarvatn Lake

About

Kleifarvatn Lake is a large volcanic lake situated on the fissure zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The lake’s isolation and raw natural beauty makes it a popular destination for hikers, bird watchers, and anglers. Unlike your usual lake, no river flows into or out of Kleifarvatn. Instead, it’s water levels change with the groundwater. An earthquake in 2000 created a fissure, which drained 20% of the lake’s water - an event that inspired crime novelist Arnaldur Indriðason to pen The Draining Lake. The lake is also said to be home to one of Iceland’s most famous cryptids: giant worm monster. While you likely won’t see any mythical beasts, it is a fantastic location to watch the mystifying Northern Lights.