Grjotagja (Grjótagjá) is a small lava cave with a hot spring that became famous as the backdrop for the steamy love scene between Jon Snow and Ygritte in the Game of Thrones series.
Grjótagjá – a hideout of Icelandic outlaws
Jagged rocks, total darkness and desolate surroundings kept law-abiding Icelanders away from lava caves. They were the domain and the best hideout of outlaws (and trolls, of course). It is said that in the 18th century the Grjótagjá cave was home to the outlaw Jón Markússon. Little is known about him, but after his death the fear of his cave gave way to… excitement. No wonder. The cave looks unremarkable from the outside, but you only need to climb down to reach a small natural pool of shimmering blue water. Today it is the main reason tourists come to Grjótagjá.
To protect Grjótagjá from damage, the cave has been closed several times in recent years. It lies on private land. According to the landowners, many visitors have left litter in and around the pool, including food waste, toilet paper, glass bottles and beer cans.
Sometimes the cave is also closed because the water inside gets too hot.
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Bathing in Grjótagjá
Hot magma lies not far below the surface here, which makes the place highly unpredictable. For this reason, bathing in Grjótagjá is no longer allowed. According to Visit North Iceland, the cave was once a popular bathing spot, but during the geological unrest in the area in 1975-1984 the water became so hot that bathing has not been possible since.
Inside the Grjótagjá cave
Don’t want to give up on a soak in hot springs? Visit Earth Lagoon Mývatn (formerly Myvatn Nature Baths). It has public hot pools, changing rooms and a restaurant.
Grjótagjá – access and practical information
Grjótagjá lies on the eastern shore of Lake Myvatn, about 4 km (2.5 miles) by car from Reykjahlid: take road 1 east, then turn right onto road 860. Right next to the cave there is a public parking lot with quite a lot of spaces.
Map: driving route from Reykjahlid to the Grjotagja cave — click to open the interactive map
It’s not a place worth a trip on its own, but it makes a good short stop while you tour the attractions around Myvatn.
A short rocky path leads to the cave. Take care on the way down into the cave itself so you don’t tear your clothes, twist an ankle or fall into the water.
A similar place is the Storagja cave in Reykjahlid (about 2 km / 1.2 miles to the northwest). Bathing there is not recommended either, because of the water temperature and its “sanitary condition”.
