Want to feel in another world? Don’t miss the lava field of Berserkjahraun, Iceland.
It is a bit off the beaten track but an easy drive between interestingly-shaped mountains and lava formations.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit with tips, maps and many photos.
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Iceland:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Iceland: DiscoverCars
The unmissable boat tour: Whale Watching
Fun activity: Swimming in Silfra Fissure
My favorite places to stay:
- Reykjavik: see best rated hotels – e.g. Vintage Boutique Hotel
- Lake Myvatn: see best rated hotels – e.g. Hotel Laxa
- Vik area: see best rated hotels – e.g. Hotel Vik i Myrdal
Why visit the Berserkjahraun Lava Field?
What is it?
Berserkjahraun (which translates to mad-man’s lava field), is a path on the Northern part of the Snaefellsnes peninsula that takes you into lava fields from the main road circling it. It is a place where you can observe green moss over black lava stones that vary greatly in size; all that, surrounded by pyramid-shaped mountains and fjords.
I drove one morning the whole road and enjoyed crossing paths with very few vehicles, feeling alone in the place, discovering the shapes and the contrasting colors along the way. The next day I had better weather and decided to drive part of the road again (as I was limited in time) to see it with different light. So you see how much I enjoyed it.
What does Berserkjahraun mean?
Berserkjahraun literally means lava field of the Berserker (Champion viking warrior who fought in a frenzy – nowadays can mean furiously violent or out of control).
The area is the home of a famous saga with berserkers, hence the name (story at the end of the article).
Note: anytime you see Hraun in the name of a place, it means lava.
How do you pronounce Berserkjahraun?
Before you keep reading this article, you may want to check out how to pronounce the word.
Check it out here. Not so easy…
More photos after the planning tips.
Planning tips & Map – Berserkjahraun Iceland
Where is Berserkjahraun located? Map
- On the North side of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, West Iceland
- Reykjavik to Berserkjahraun junction – 2h15 drive
- Grundarfjordur to Berserkjahraun junction = 15min drive
- Stykkisholmur to Berserkjahraun junction = 15min drive
- Below is a map to help you locate the lava filed in the peninsula:
All my favorite locations are included (with GPS coordinates, map of region and planning tips) in my travel guide eBook to help you easily plan your Iceland road trip (5 days, 7 days, 10 days, 14 days…)
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How to get to Berserkjahraun
- It is along Road 558
- Coming from the West on road 54 from Grundarfjordur, cross the first bridge, then turn right on road 558 also called Berserkjahraun. After crossing a small bridge continue to a crossing and turn right.
- Coming from the East just after the crossing of Roads 56 (Vatnaleid) and 54 (Snaefellsnesvegur), turn left into Berserkjahraun
- Learn more about driving in Iceland, on my practical article
Driving Berserkjahraun
- It is very easy to reach but most people just tour Snaefellsnes and do not venture into those roads. You get the place almost to yourself! (at least until everybody reads this article)
- Best time – Early morning you will get nice reflections around the bridge
- Difficulty – The road is not paved but not difficult, you just have to drive slowly but with this scenery, who would want to drive fast? Crossing other vehicles is not a problem
- Do no walk on the lava! the moss is very fragile and takes a long time to grow + the lava is sharp
- How long – I think I drove on it for 2 & 1/2 hours stopping all the time – but you could drive it in a lot less
- Car type – I drove it with a Suzuki Jimmy 4WD and it was perfect!
Need to rent a car in Iceland?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Prefer a compact car for the narrow streets in villages
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Difficulty of the drive
A lot of the drive looks like that. Although some sections are a lot bumpier but not too bad.
Of course, weather can change the road conditions, so always be careful.
Where to stay close to Berserkjahraun
- My favorite place to stay on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is Grundarfjordur – to be close to the Kirkjufell for sunrise and sunset – check out the accommodation options
- Or you can stay by the water at Stykkishólmur – check out the accommodation options
- Or find out more ideas in my article about where to stay in Snaefellsnes.
Where to stay in Iceland?
My favorites:
- Reykjavik, capital city: see best rated accommodations – or my article on where to stay
- Selfoss, between Golden Circle and South Coast: see best rated accommodations
- Vik, near waterfalls and glaciers: see best rated accommodations
- Höfn, gateway to the East fjords: see best rated accommodations
- Egilsstadir, between fjords and North Iceland: see best rated accommodations
- Reykjahlid, for the wonders of Lake Myvatn: see best rated accommodations
- Akureyri, capital of the North: see best rated accommodations
- Grundarfjordur, on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula: see best rated accommodations
Berserkjahraun geology – the history behind the lava field
How old is Berserkjahraun lava field?
It is around 4000 years old.
How was it formed?
Four prominent craters probably erupted at short intervals approximately 3600-4000 years ago. The largest one (Raudkula) was first. It is 379 metres (1243 feet) wide. Its name means red crater.
This lava field flowed between the mountain side and the sea. And when it cooled down, it created this amazing landscape that was later reclaimed by nature with moss and other plants.
The Saga behind Berserkjahraun
Here is a short version of the Eyrbyggja saga behind the name of this lava field:
A 10th century farmer had brought two Swedish berserkers. Since he had problems handling the two, he gave them to his brother Styr the Slayer, who was living on the other side of the lava field.
After a while one of the berserkers fell in love with his daughter and asked for her hand. Víga-Styrr promised to agree only if the berserkers cleared a path through the lava field to connect his farm with the nearest settlement. The two soon finished what Víga-Styrr thought was impossible, but instead of keeping his promise he murdered them both and buried them somewhere along the path.
Hraunsfjardarvatn – Berserker lava field lake
If driving from the West, you first encounter what looks like a lake at the beginning of the lava filed.
It is actually connected to the sea.
Stop near the bridge to appreciate the views.
Below are some photos of the area around the Lakes.
On one side of the road not much lava…
But on the other side, the water holes and lake are surrounded by big blocks of lava!
I don’t drink coffee 
But I also like other drinks and sweets!
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Photos from the Berserkjahraun drive
The whole drive through the lava filed is fascinating. No more instructions needed, you just keep driving and stop whenever you feel inspired.
Below are a few pictures from my drive to give you an idea of what to expect.
Starting with my favorite shot of Berserkjahraun with the pyramid- shaped mountains behind (and one of my favorite pictures of Iceland). You really want to check if any elves or trolls live there. Don’t you?
Sometimes the green of the moss does not even look real!
In the photo below you can see a bit more of the mountains surrounding Berserkjaraun:
And sometimes the rock is really red!
Do you see why it reached my Top 7 off the beaten path destinations in Iceland ?
Plan your trip to Iceland this Summer:
Want to see other highlights of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula region?
- The iconic Mountain Kirkjufell and its waterfalls – read article
- Enjoy the charming Glanni waterfalls – read article
- Go up to Grabrok crater – read article
- Head inland on the Silver Circle – read article
- Enjoy the lava formation at Arnarstapi, Londrangar and the other volcanic craters… read my Guide to the best things to do on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Planning a trip to Iceland?
Check out my travel guide to help you plan:
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Tips to make the most of your time.
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