The educational trail starts at the parking lot and guides you through the glacial terrain. The route is approximately 800m long and takes about 45 minutes. We urge people to be careful and not to enter the unstable ice cave as ice fall is frequent and to be aware of poisonous gases in the cave can increase quickly.

In clear weather we can see Kverkfjöll mountains and Kverkjökull outlet glacier. We are surrounded by central volcanoes, closest by is Kverkfjöll which contains two ice-filled calderas. We can see Kverkin, the pass cutting the caldera rim from where Kverkjökull drains out. To­ wards southwest we can see Dyngjujökull outlet glacier and Bárðarbunga central volcano. Bárðarbunga is the 2nd largest central volcano and the second highest point (2009 m) in Iceland, and the majority of the volcano is within the catchment area of Dyngjujökull. The third highest peak in Iceland is Skarphéðinstindur (1929 m) in the eastern flanks of Kverkfjöll.

We walk across glacial debris that the glacier has ploughed, reworked and piled up as moraines in front of the terminus. The area resembles a work construction site where bulldozers are used to rearrange gravel and debris of all sizes. The bulldozer at work here is however much more powerful than most of them: the glacier itself!

You will encounter many different rock types along the way. Sec­ ondary minerals, crystals, frost weathered products and porous rocks. The appearance of each rock tells us about its origin and the circumstances where it formed and developed. The existence and size of air bubbles in rocks depends on the amount of gas in the magma and how fast it cools. Magma that cools quickly contains more bubbles than magma which cools slowly. Pumice and scoria contain lot af air bubbles, which are trapped within the viscous magma as it cools and forms glass in volcanic eruptions. Magma that cools down below the surface and forms igneous rocks contains very little air bubbles.

From here you can see hills and humps north of the glacier terminus created by dead ice. Dead ice forms when the terminus is covered in glacial till and ceases to move, or when the glacier retreats and leaves behind ice blocks that are covered with sediments. The ice can survive for years or decades, but when it melts it cre­ ates kettle holes and hummocky terrain. The dead ice is recognizable by the different colour of the wet (darker coloured) and dry (lighter coloured) sediments of the hills north of the Kverkjökull outlet glacier. Dead ice is also found in the flanks next to the ice cave.

Dark coloured dirt cones are often found in the ablation area, towering over the white glacier surface. They are acutally ice cones covered with sediments and here they are found in all sizes and of various irregular shapes. They are generally 1-3 m high and represent the crevasse pattern. Their origin stems from differential ablation due to sediment-filled crevasses. They constitute of windblown material or ash. When the ice surrounding lowers sufficiently, the sediments spread a little and isolate the underlying ice. The crevasses are literally turned up side down, and namely the dirt cones originate as crevasse filling.

Mosses are among the first plants to colonize new lava fields and they need little soil to grow. The time it takes to colonize the new surface depends on elevation, precipitation, temperature and loess [windblown soil). Moss patches are particularly sensitive and damage caused for example by footprints can take decades to heal. As soon as the moss blanket is torn, water, and wind can readily erode the soil and the wound in the moss cover is potentially irreparably damaged. Mosses have already colonized the glacial debris, can you see them close to the path? A few moss patches along the road from Sigurðarskali hut to the glacier have increased in size in the last couple of years.

Approximately 40 high temperature geothermal areas are found in Iceland, all of them within or close to the central volcanoes. Magma intrusions are the main source of the geothermal heat. One of the most powerful geothermal areas in Iceland are in KverkfJbll, with the highest activity found in Efri-Hveradalur, Neori-Hverada­lur and in Gengissig cauldron, which is an ice-dammed lake east of Efri-Hveradalur. Scientists agree that the most remarkable interplay of glaciers and geothermal heat is found in Hveradalur. Jokulhlaups drain regularly from the Gengissig lake into river Volga. From here we walk over the bridge to the viewpoint close to the ice cave where you will find the next waypoint. Then we walk back and continue the route with a few stops on our way to the parking lot.

7. Geothermal area surrounded by glaciers

The interplay between fire and ice is evident here. Warm water from the geothermal area in Hveradalur melts tunnels into the glacier at its bed. We can see the mouth of the ice cave which is constantly changing. Ice chunks regularly fall from the ice cave roof as well from the entrance and we encourage people to follow the marked trail and instructions. ATTENTION! Ice caves pose a real threat to anyone venturing in or near them - especially during summer time.

Palagonite is common in Iceland and forms during sub­glacial and submarine eruptions or when hot lava cools quickly when it comes in contact with water. The water pressure close to the surface of the water is not enough to surpress the magma, steam explosions occur and magma fragmentation produces ash. The very large contrast 

in heat between the water and the magma causes the explosions. The ash piles up and is compressed, reacts with water and is glued together, forming palagonite. Iron oxides give the palagonite a reddish colour. Have you seen any palagonite along the way? Did you see mt. Heroubreio on your way to Kverkfjoll, the queen of the Icelandic mountains and a typical table mountain.

Glaciers erode and sculpture the landscape in various ways. The river Jbkulsa a Fjbllum [which is the second longest river in Iceland 206 km) drains from Dyngjujbkull outlet glaciers, and merges with river Kreppa and Kverka, which drain from Bruarjbkull outlet glacier. The largest branches of Jbkulsa a Fjbllum emerge from the glacier just west of Kverkfjoll. The first waterfall of Jokulsa a FJbllum is GlJufrasmiour by Heroubreioarlindir, from there the river turns northwards and plunges down the water­falls Selfoss, Dettifoss, Hafragilsfoss and Rettarfoss along its way towards the sea in Oxarfjorour bay. Catastrophic jbkulhlaups along Jbkulsa a Fjbllum during the Holocene have sculptured the landscape north of Kverkfjoll to the sea. The river has the largest catchment area in Iceland, 7750 km2 similar to the size of Vatnajbkull.

"it is hard to imagine a more horrible sight when looking over this glacier. Indeed, no one would think it was a glacier to begin with, because it has borne so much gravel, sand. scree and rocks that all its lower reaches look as black as the darkest-grey aa lava. [ __ .] There is total upheaval here, like the ruins of buildings after an earthquake. everything pitch black and muddy brown like the dregs of grounded coffee." Helgi Bjornsson 2017 /Thoroddsen 1958-1960} 

Porvaldur Thoroddsen described Dyngjujokull such in 1894 . . Dyngjujokull is an outlet glaciers, carrying loads of sediments, and is highly crevassed.Outlet glaciers advance or retreat depending on the accumulation and ablation. Dyngju;okul/ surged in 1934, 1951 and during the surge in 1999-2000, the glacier front advanced approximately 1250 m. In recent years, glaciers in Iceland have retreated fast due to climate warming.

Glacier erratics are huge boulders carried by the glacier, often long distances even hundreds of km. In the 17th century, scientists had several hypothesis about their origin, one of them being that the boulders had been transpo("ted in floods. According to the travel diaries of Eggert Olafsson and BJarni Palsson [17721 the name stems from Grettir the strong, who lifted them and moved them around. However, a more likely explanation is given, that people had used ropes to transport the boulders. It was not until the late 17th century that their origin was associated with glaciers. Glacier erratics are found in KverkfJi:ill and next to the road to Lindafjallabak IF902].

Anthropogenic climate change is considered one of the most serious environmental problems of today, threat­ening ecosystems and societies. The warming climate causes the retreat and thinning of glaciers in Iceland land elsewhere I. Measurements of term1 nus variations of KverkJi:ikull started in 1964, and the measurement spot marked with a cairn of the Icelandic Glaciological Society. Terminus measurements are carried out on 50 glaciers all around the country lhttp://spordakost.jorfi.

To take nothing except pictures and memories, or leave anything behind other than faint footprints.

Not to cause any damage to nature, for instance by tearing up moss or other plants, disturbing animals, modifying geological formations or pile up rocks.

To show consideration for other park visitors.

In the realm of Kverkfjöll mountains - Visitor trail

In the realm of Kverkfjöll mountains - Visitor trail

Interpretation

1. The landscape

2. Scree and gravel

3. The rock types

4. Dead ice

5. Dirt cones

6. Mosses

7. Geothermal area surrounded by glaciers

8. Ice cave

9. Palagonite

10. Glacial rivers

11. Dyngjujökull

12. Glacier erratics

13. Climate change, retreating glaciers

Please remember