The Kerid Crater: Iceland’s Rainbow Jewel
Imagine standing above a volcanic crater, the water below you a deep, opaque aquamarine blue. You’re surrounded by walls of red volcanic rock, some covered in a vibrant green moss. Sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? This magical site is waiting for you at the Kerid crater (spelled Kerið in Icelandic). Located along Iceland’s well known Golden Circle route, Kerid is one of many crater lakes in the country’s Western Volcanic Zone. It stands out among those other craters, however, because it is has one of the most visually recognizable calderas (which means it’s easy to pick out the cauldron-like dip in the earth’s surface). The crater is also unique in that it is only about 3,000 years old, making it about half as young as the geological features that surround it.
At an incredible 55 m deep, 170 m wide, and 270 m across, the Kerid crater is a sight that will truly make you feel small. The lake, however, is only about 7 to 14 m deep, depending on the weather in the area.