Veidivotn Webcam – See Iceland’s Highland Fishing Lakes

The Veidivotn Webcam looks out from Bjarkalundur, one of the warden’s buildings at the Veidivotn fishing lakes in the Icelandic highlands. Moss and black volcanic gravel fill the foreground and run down to a track, and beyond it a handful of anglers’ cabins with white and red roofs sit on a long, bare slope. Low crater mounds rise on the left of the frame, a sliver of lake water shows at the far left edge, and on clear days a snow-capped peak appears on the horizon. Nothing up here is sheltered, so the light changes quickly: the hillside can turn gold in low sun and disappear under a snow shower a few minutes later. A second camera, labelled Skemman, sits in the next tab and looks across the camp toward a lake and snow-dusted hills.

About Veidivotn

Veidivotn, written Veiðivötn in Icelandic and meaning “fishing lakes”, is a cluster of about 50 lakes that fill two rows of fissure vents in the highlands of central Iceland. The lake district stretches for nearly 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) and is about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) wide, at elevations between 560 and 930 meters (1,837 and 3,051 feet). The craters were blown open in 1477 by an explosive fissure eruption in the Bardarbunga volcanic system, rated 6 on the volcanic explosivity index, and water has collected in them ever since. Litlisjor is the largest of the lakes. Between them the ground is mostly dark volcanic sand and gravel broken up by moss, which is exactly what fills the lower half of the camera’s view.

The cabins on camera stand along the north shore of Tjaldvatn, a lake that doubles as a bird nesting area, at about 570 meters (1,870 feet). The operator lists 18 rental cabins sleeping six to twelve people each, plus Stori skali, a hut for 40. Keys are collected at Vardberg, the warden’s hut, and Bjarkalundur, the building this camera is named after, is listed with it as part of the warden’s facilities. Veidivotn lies on Landmannaafrettur, a highland common in the municipality of Rangarthing ytra. Brown trout and Arctic char live in the lakes, and the trout stock is thought to be one of the oldest in Europe.

Weather and Climate in Veidivotn

Summer is short and cool. July averages highs around 11 C (52 F) and lows near 6 C (43 F) at the camp’s elevation, based on ten years of reanalysis data. Around the June solstice the sun is up for about 21 hours, so the camera shows light skies late into the evening. By September highs fall to about 7 C (45 F) with lows near 2 C (36 F), and the first snow showers return.

Winter is long and dark. October already averages highs of about 3 C (37 F) and lows near minus 2 C (28 F), and January sits around minus 3 C (27 F) by day and minus 9 C (16 F) at night. Snow can fall in every month from September to June. Near the December solstice there are only about four hours of daylight, and from late October to February the sun stays low even at noon, so the frame shows long shadows and golden light for most of the short day.

Things to Do Near Veidivotn

Fishing is the reason most people come. The rod season at Veidivotn runs from 18 June to 18 August, and fishing is allowed from 7 am until midnight. Permits and cabins usually sell out quickly, but day permits without lodging are sold from 1 July to 18 August at 15,000 Icelandic kronur per rod per day; they have to be booked the day before and collected at Vardberg in the morning. The lakes south of the Tungnaa river have a longer season, from 18 June to 15 September. Photographers often climb one of the higher craters for a panorama over the lake chain, which includes Litlisjor, Graenavatn and Stora-Fossvatn, and Tjaldvatn’s nesting birds are right beside the cabins.

Reaching the lakes takes planning. The F228 mountain road leaves the F26 Sprengisandur route 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) from Hrauneyjar and covers about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) to the camp, roughly 45 minutes of driving, and it is generally open only from the end of June into October. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is needed. No fuel is sold at Veidivotn, so fill up at Hrauneyjar, which has the nearest shop, restaurant, fuel station and car charging. In winter the lakes are reachable only by super jeep.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more of Iceland’s wild interior and more lake country, try these cameras.

• Adaldalshraun Webcam
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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Veidivotn located?

Veidivotn is in the highlands of central Iceland, in the municipality of Rangarthing ytra in the Southern Region. It lies about 150 kilometers (95 miles) east of Reykjavik in a straight line, and the nearest services are at Hrauneyjar, about 34 kilometers (21 miles) away by road.

What can you see on the Veidivotn Webcam?

The main camera shows the anglers’ cabins on the slope above Tjaldvatn, low crater mounds, moss and dark volcanic gravel, with a snow-capped peak on the horizon on clear days. The Skemman tab looks across the camp toward a lake and the surrounding hills.

What is the weather like at Veidivotn?

Cool in summer and cold in winter. July highs are around 11 C (52 F), while January averages about minus 3 C (27 F) by day and minus 9 C (16 F) at night. Snow can fall from September to June.

When is the fishing season at Veidivotn?

Rod fishing runs from 18 June to 18 August, from 7 am to midnight. Day permits without lodging are sold from 1 July to 18 August, and the lakes south of the Tungnaa river stay open until 15 September.

How do you get to Veidivotn?

Drive the F26 Sprengisandur route from Hrauneyjar for 14 kilometers (8.7 miles), then turn onto the F228 for about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles). The road needs a four-wheel-drive vehicle and is generally open from the end of June into October.

How were the Veidivotn lakes formed?

An explosive fissure eruption in the Bardarbunga volcanic system in 1477 tore open two rows of craters, and about 50 of them have since filled with water to form the lakes.

Why is the Veidivotn Webcam dark?

The picture follows the daylight, and nights are long here for much of the year. Near the December solstice the sun is up for only about four hours, so in midwinter the view is dark for most of the day. It brightens again on its own when the sun comes up, with nothing to reload.

Source: Veidivotn.is