Is it allowed to bathe at Grjótagjá?

Is it allowed to bathe at Grjótagjá? - Person Holding Book Page on White Table

I have contradictory information. Some places say that bathing is forbidden, while others say that there are no signs and locals bathe there. What's the truth?



Best Answer

Bathing in the cave dates back to the 18th century when the Icelandic outlaw Jón Markússon lived in the area and bathe there. Until the 1970s many Icelanders bathed at Grjótagjá, men in one cave and women in another. The Krafla eruptions from 1975 to 1984 caused the water in the cave to rise above 50°C. Water temperatures forced the “closing” of the cave. The water temperature did eventually return to a more suitable degree in the ’90s and bathing has resumed.

Looks like in 2013 it was possible to bath in Grjótagjá http://jdombstravels.com/bathing-grjotagj-thermal-spring/ It's a real evidence of real people who were on Grjótagjá in 2013 and bathing there.

Other sources, like this just quote the wikipedia.

If it's not enough for you - there are some photos of people who bath there.




Pictures about "Is it allowed to bathe at Grjótagjá?"

Is it allowed to bathe at Grjótagjá? - Woman in White Dress in Bath Tub
Is it allowed to bathe at Grjótagjá? - Person Holding Sliced Orange Fruit
Is it allowed to bathe at Grjótagjá? - Couple Kissing while Sitting on Bathtub



Can you swim in Grjótagjá?

No\u2014 it is too hot to swim in and not allowed (although no one is there monitoring).

How do you get to the Grjotagja cave?

How to get to Grjotagja
  • No public transport, you need a car.
  • Gravel road.
  • From Reykjahl\xed\xf0 (village East of lake Myvatn) take road 1 towards the East (Egilssta\xf0ir). After about 1 km take exit to gravel road 860 where Grj\xf3tagj\xe1 is clearly indicated. This is accessible to 2WD and there is a large parking in front.




  • Is Bathing Permissible while Fasting?




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Taryn Elliott, Craig Adderley, Taryn Elliott, cottonbro