Þórsmörk
Encyclopedia
Thórsmörk is a mountain ridge in Iceland
that was named after the Norse
god Thor
(Þór). It is situated in the south of Iceland between the glacier
s Tindfjallajökull
and Eyjafjallajökull
. The name "Thórsmörk" properly refers only to the mountain ridge between the rivers Krossá , Þröngá and Markarfljót
, but is sometimes used informally to describe a wider area that includes the region between Thórsmörk and Eyjafjallajökull.
In the valley, the river Krossá winds between the mountains. The valley is closed in between glaciers, Mýrdalsjökull
being at the rear end of the valley. This leads to an especially warm climate, better than in the rest of south Iceland. In the protected valley, there is green vegetation of moss
, fern, birch
wood and other small shrubs.
Thórsmörk is popular amongst hikers. A lot of different tours are possible, from hiking on the glaciers to trekking (i.e., Laugavegur
up to Landmannalaugar
) or smaller excursions, such as to the canyon Stakkholtsgjá with its waterfall or five small day treks, to the summits of surrounding peaks, with rewarding views, even in bad weather. The Krossá is a cold fast river coming down from glaciers: a bridge allows pedestrian
s to cross. There are daily coach arrivals, from Reykjavík
and other towns in Iceland.
at Eyjafjallajökull
in the spring of 2010, much of the area was covered in a thick layer of volcanic ash. It took several months for nature to return to normal.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
that was named after the Norse
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
god Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
(Þór). It is situated in the south of Iceland between the glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s Tindfjallajökull
Tindfjallajökull
Tindfjallajökull is a stratovolcano in the south of Iceland. It has erupted rocks of basaltic to rhyolitic composition, and a 5-km-wide caldera was formed during the eruption of the 54,000 year old Thórsmörk Ignimbrite....
and Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull is one of the smaller ice caps of Iceland, situated to the north of Skógar and to the west of Mýrdalsjökull. The ice cap covers the caldera of a volcano with a summit elevation of . The volcano has erupted relatively frequently since the last glacial period, most recently in...
. The name "Thórsmörk" properly refers only to the mountain ridge between the rivers Krossá , Þröngá and Markarfljót
Markarfljót
Markarfljót is a river in the south of Iceland. It is approximately 100 kilometers long.The Markarfljót rises in the Rauðafossafjöll massif, east of the volcano Hekla. The main sources for the river are the glaciers Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull...
, but is sometimes used informally to describe a wider area that includes the region between Thórsmörk and Eyjafjallajökull.
In the valley, the river Krossá winds between the mountains. The valley is closed in between glaciers, Mýrdalsjökull
Mýrdalsjökull
Mýrdalsjökull mire dale glacier" or " mire valley glacier") is a glacier in the south of Iceland. It is situated to the north of Vík í Mýrdal and to the east of the smaller glacier Eyjafjallajökull. Between these two glaciers is Fimmvörðuháls pass. Its peak reaches in height and in 1980 it covered...
being at the rear end of the valley. This leads to an especially warm climate, better than in the rest of south Iceland. In the protected valley, there is green vegetation of moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
, fern, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
wood and other small shrubs.
Thórsmörk is popular amongst hikers. A lot of different tours are possible, from hiking on the glaciers to trekking (i.e., Laugavegur
Laugavegur
The Laugavegur is a famous trekking route in South-West Iceland from the hot springs area of Landmannalaugar to the glacial valley of Þórsmörk. It is noted for the wide variety of landscapes that are experienced in just . The route is typically completed over 2–4 days with potential stops at the...
up to Landmannalaugar
Landmannalaugar
Landmannalaugar is a region near the volcano Hekla in southern section of Iceland's highlands.The Landmannalaugar area is a popular tourist destination and hiking hub in Iceland's highlands. The area displays a number of unusual geological elements, like the multicolored rhyolite mountains and...
) or smaller excursions, such as to the canyon Stakkholtsgjá with its waterfall or five small day treks, to the summits of surrounding peaks, with rewarding views, even in bad weather. The Krossá is a cold fast river coming down from glaciers: a bridge allows pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
s to cross. There are daily coach arrivals, from Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
and other towns in Iceland.
Volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull
During to the eruption2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
The 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull were volcanic events at Eyjafjöll in Iceland which, although relatively small for volcanic eruptions, caused enormous disruption to air travel across western and northern Europe over an initial period of six days in April 2010. Additional localised disruption...
at Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull is one of the smaller ice caps of Iceland, situated to the north of Skógar and to the west of Mýrdalsjökull. The ice cap covers the caldera of a volcano with a summit elevation of . The volcano has erupted relatively frequently since the last glacial period, most recently in...
in the spring of 2010, much of the area was covered in a thick layer of volcanic ash. It took several months for nature to return to normal.