VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS. In 1783 there was an enormous volcanic eruption, which created a lava field extending over 565 sq. km and measuring 12 cu. km in volume. So damaging was the event that the population fell from 50,000 to 38,000. The lava field, now covering stretching out along and around the main road round the south of Iceland, is the largest ever formed in a single eruption in recent times.

Another catastrophic event was the glacial burst that occurred in November 1996, when a volcanic eruption beneath Vatnajökull caused a massive outflow of lava spilling out over the ice and all the way down to the sea, about 25 km away, taking with it bridges and parts of the road.

FIRE GORGE. A spectacular part of southern Iceland is the 40-km long Fire Gorge, reachable only by four-wheel-drive vehicles that can ford rivers and negotiate rough ground. Red rock, green moss and stunning waterfalls characterise this remote valley. You pass by the Fire Gorge on the way to Landmannalaugur, a place of extraordinary beauty and untouched in a way unimaginable in even the furthest reaches of the British Isles. Here rhyolite, a volcanic rock, assumes all the colours of the rainbow – even blue – and the barren, multi-hued rolling hills rise above flat plains, thermal pools, fields of jagged, porous lava and thermal vents, gently smoking and reeking of sulphur. Each year an Ultramarathon is held around Landmannalaugur, comprising stages of 10 km, 11 km, 16 km and 13.5 km. There is also a conventional marathon held in Reykjavik in August.

Kirkjubaerklaustur – which translates roughly as ‘church farm cloister’ – sits on a river near the sea and it was here that the great lava flow of 1783 came to an abrupt halt, because, the residents believed, they had prayed for salvation in the small church at that site. The end of the lava can still be clearly seen near the village. A little way along the river is Sisters Rock, where, the story goes, two nuns were buried after being burnt at the stake for breaking their vows. One was said to have consecrated Communion bread at the door of a privy and to have had carnal knowledge of men. The other had spoken blasphemously of the Pope. After the Reformation, the first nun was proclaimed innocent and beautiful flowers grew on her grave; the second nun’s grave remained barren.

Such were the discoveries and pleasures of running across Iceland that we rarely remember the tiredness we felt during our 30-day run. Most people hire a car and travel round the ring road visiting places en route. We hired a car as well but it was driven by our administrative team that carried our tents and provisions including a carton of beer. A cheaper way is to buy a bus pass that allows you to get on and get off when you like. But no matter how you travel, you are sure to enjoy Iceland like no other place on this world.

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