Gunnuhver

Gunnuhver is a striking geothermal area located on the Southern Peninsula of Iceland, near the town of Grindavík. Known for its boiling mud pools and steaming vents, Gunnuhver offers visitors a dramatic display of geothermal activity, set against the rugged, volcanic landscape of Reykjanes. This area is not only geologically fascinating, but it also carries a haunting legend that adds to its mystique.

The key features of Gunnuhver include its massive steam vents and bubbling mud pots, which are caused by seawater seeping into the hot volcanic earth. The area is particularly notable for one large steam vent that shoots plumes of hot steam high into the air, visible from a distance. The name Gunnuhver comes from an old Icelandic ghost story about a vengeful spirit, Guðrún (or Gunna), who was said to have haunted the area until a priest trapped her in the boiling hot springs, giving the geothermal site its eerie name.

Gunnuhver is located in the Reykjanes Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark, which is home to numerous other geological attractions, such as the Bridge Between Continents, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet, and the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s world-famous geothermal spa.