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The crater Eldborg (The Fire
Castle) is situated on a short SW-NE fissure, which probably was most
volcanically active 5000-8000 years ago. It is the most symmetric and
beautiful of the scoria craters of the country and rises about 60
metres above the surroundings (100 m above sea level). It is oblong in
shape, 200 m long and 50 m deep.
The Book of Settlements describes an
event involving an old and a blind man, Thorir, who came out
of his farm one evening for fresh air. Then suddenly he saw
a very large and a savage looking man coming sailing on a
steel boat. He walked up to the gate of the milking pen of
the farm Hrip and dug a hole with his iron stick. Then he
left.
During the night, an eruption started
exactly where he had dug, and a large crater was created
where the farm stood.
The older Eldborg
lava field is of the Pa hoe hoe type with an area of
32 kmē and the younger one, much smaller, is of the AA type. Both
lava fields are basaltic and relatively well vegetated. The best way
to approach the crater is from the parking area to its south. The walk
takes about half an hour each way and people are kindly asked to
stick to the trodden and marked paths. |