Gunnuhver Geothermal Area

About this place

A geothermal area at the tip of the Reykjanes peninsula, with boiling mud pools, columns of steam bursting from the ground and earth stained by minerals. What sets it apart from other hot springs is that its water is saline: the area is close to the sea and seawater seeps into the geothermal system, producing steam and mud chemically different from inland springs. The steam here is denser and more violent. The name comes from a folk story: Gunna was a woman whose ghost is said to have been trapped in the spring by a priest's trick after she had tormented the district. The tale is typical of Icelandic narrative explaining violent phenomena through ghosts and giants. The area is active and changing: the main vent expanded over the last two decades and swallowed earlier walkways, and the platforms have been rebuilt more than once. Decisive practical points: stay strictly on the wooden walkways — the crust around the vents is thin and can collapse, and burns from boiling mud are a real danger. The site may close during volcanic activity in the area, and Reykjanes has seen repeated eruptions since 2021 — check before going.