Berserkjahraun (literally: berserk lava) is a beautiful and extremely accessible lava field on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. See how to get to it and why it owes its name.
Beautiful lava field
The Berserkjahraun lava field lies in the central northern part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. It was formed by the Ljósufjöll volcanic system, some 4,000 years ago. The craters of these eruptions can still be seen from here today, aligned in a fairly even line. Picturesque landscapes full of black and red sand, green islands and red and orange rock patches provide an unforgettable experience.
Although Berserkjahraun is not one of the most famous places in Iceland, people who have visited this lava field are often greatly impressed by its beauty.
In addition, Berserkjahraun is very easily accessible and, with favorable weather conditions, you can drive almost any car through its center. The road winding through the walls of solidified lava is extremely picturesque.
In several places the road widens, creating convenient bays where we can stop the car and go for a short reconnaissance to see the solidified lava completely up close. It is worth taking care of good footwear then, and be careful, because it is easy to slip here, and then it is not difficult to twist an ankle or other injury.
Video: The beautiful lava field of Berserkjahraun.
The legendary history of Berserkjahraun
The name Berserkjahraun literally translates to lava, or lava field of the berserkers. Berserkers were mythical warriors with the gift of going into a battle rage in which they felt no pain, gained immense strength, but at the same time lost their sanity and attacked anyone nearby, including their allies. According to some sagas, berserkers going into a rage even turned into huge battle bears….
The name Lava of the Berserkers comes from one of the Icelandic sagas – Eyrbyggja-Saga. According to the story, a farmer named Vígi-Styr brought two berserkers from Sweden to his farm here in the area. He later handed them over to his brother, who lived on the other side of the lava field. One of the berserkers fell in love with Víga-Styr’s daughter and asked for her hand in marriage. However, Víga-Styr set a condition: his daughter’s hand in exchange for clearing the road connecting Víga-Styr’s farm to his brother’s farm. In his opinion, it was impossible to perform this task, but the warriors were quick to comply. Unfortunately, instead of keeping his promise, Víga-Styr had the berserkers killed and buried their corpses near the path. It is said that in modern times, a grave of two warriors was actually discovered not far from here….
How to get to Berserkjahraun
Berserkjahraun exit
Even if you don’t want to, or don’t have time to stop, it’s really very worth it to get off Road 54 here and drive the road winding through this lava field for those few kilometers. The entire road is only about 10 kilometers long, so it won’t take you long to drive it, and it will definitely be memorable.
The road through Berserkjahraun is winding and gravel, but it lacks major climbs or other obstacles that a 4×4 vehicle would be needed to overcome. On the other hand, the solidified volcanic rocks on either side of it in fine shapes make for truly spectacular scenery.
