KATLA GEO PARK AND VK IN MIRDAL

Katla Geopark http://www.katlageopark.is/ is Icelands first geopark and it opens up a natural wonderland to the visitor. A top priority of the park is to protect the natural environment, promote local sustainable development, introduce local culture and place a strong emphasis on nature tourism.Katla Geopark got its name from one of its most known volcanoes, Katla which is under the glacier Mirdalsjokull. The geopark is 9542 km2 or around 9,3 of the total area of Iceland with population around 2700.Katla Geopark is in every sense the land of ice and fire, with its towering glaciers and active volcanoes. These forces have been shaping the land for thousands of years and the nearest examples of that are the powerful eruptions in Eyjafjallajokull 2010 and Grimsvotn 2011. But there is also more amazing landscapes in the area, mountains, lakes, black sandy beaches, green pastures and meadows, powerful glacial rivers, beautiful waterfalls and vast lava fields.Katla Geopark is accessible all year round, and each season has its own magical charm in this spectacular natural paradise.Vik in Mirdalur is Iceland s most southerly village, bordered by the glacial river Jokulsa to the west and the river Blautakvisl to the east. It s northern border is the Mirdalsjokull glacier, which caps the volcanic Mt. Katla, while its southern limits are black sands and the rolling Atlantic waves. The district lives mainly by agriculture. Although this community of 600 inhabitants faces the open Atlantic, Vik is the only seaside settlement in Iceland left without a harbour due to natural circumstances. The natural beauty of the area is spectacular. Just east of the village s outskirts lies one of Europe s biggest arctic tern breeding grounds. South of Vik is a beautiful beach, which is one of the world s ten best island beaches . A short hike within the close vicinity of Vik is sure to satisfy all serious nature lovers and bird watchers. Vik and its surroundings is one of the main bird life areas in Iceland.