Vegamannahellir, Vatnshellir, Langithrongur,Strompahellir, Ishellir and PurkhellirLavatubes in the Snæfellsjökull glacier national park
A number of lava tubes of all types and sizes are in the glacier national park around Snaefellsjokull glacier on the tip of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Due to the fact that Snaefellsjokull glacier is still active but dormant volcanic cone, there are a lot of hardened lava fields around the base of the mountain. Vegamannahellir lava tube is in Klifhraun lava field east of the glacier. The tube is around 400 meters long. The entrance to the cave is a small pitfall and it’s not easily seen from far away. When inside, you can choose from two paths that will take you to the hidden wonder world of the lava tube. Short distance into the tube is a 3 meter deep cellar. The main part of the tube has virtually no or little breakdown and is easily navigated, although you may have to duck your head in various places. Pumice litters the floor in the cave and possibly entered the tube through a small crack which now has closed. The pumice probably dates back to a gigantic eruption in Snaefellsjokull glacier about 1750 years ago.
Purkholahraun lava field lies south of the Snaefellsjokull glacier and it consists of many lava tubes worth visiting. The 5 main lava tubes are Vatnshellir, Langiþrongur, Strompahellir, Ishellir and Purkhellir. Langiþröngur lava tube is around a kilometer in length, it's a difficult lava tube to navigate due to the low ceiling and narrow tunnels. Strompahellir lava tube is around 200 meters long, it gets its name from the chimneys that extrude from it. Ishellir lava tube is the largest of the 5 lava tubes in Purkholahraun lava field. It's 282 meters long and it's pretty spacious. This lava tube lies deep within the lava field and because of its position there's a lot of ice formations in and around the cave. Purkhellir is only about 60 meters long but it is big both in width and in height. It has some ancient remains from early human settlement. While walking around the Purkholahraun lava field, you'll discover many fun paths to navigate. The Snaefellsjokull glacier looms over the hardened lava whilst ships and trolleys can be seen out at the North Atlantic ocean. The Snaefellsjokull glacier national park was established june 28th 2001. It's at the point of the Snaefellsnes peninsula and covers around 170 square kilometers. Extreme Iceland offers trips around the Snaefellsjokull glacier national park, where you can discover it's natural beauty both above and under ground. We also plan walks up to the top of Snaefellsjokull galcier (1442 meter above sea level). Snaefellsjokull glacier is the highest mountain to be seen from Reykjavik and the view from the top on a good and sunny day is magnificent.
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