Kerid

Kerið (also spelled Kerith) is a volcanic crater lake in Grímsnes in southern Iceland, formed roughly 3,000 years ago when the magma chamber beneath a cone volcano emptied and the summit collapsed. The result is a near-perfect oval caldera about 55 metres deep and 270 metres wide, its steep red and black obsidian-streaked walls descending to a vivid blue-green lake fed by underground water rather than rainfall.

A well-maintained path circles the entire rim, taking only 15–20 minutes to walk, with a second path spiralling down to the lake shore. The contrast of the iron-red volcanic walls, the dark lava rock, and the startlingly coloured water makes Kerið one of Iceland’s most photogenic small natural sites, and it holds up beautifully in all seasons — snow on the rim walls in winter adds a further dramatic dimension.

Kerið lies on Route 35 between Selfoss and Geysir and is a natural addition to a Golden Circle itinerary. A small admission fee is charged at the gate — the crater is on private land. The site is well signposted, has a car park and toilet facilities, and is fully accessible by normal car year-round. The surrounding Grímsnes area has a number of smaller craters and lava flows worth exploring.