Mývatn · Iceland
Kálfaströnd
Kálfaströnd sits on the southeastern shore of Lake Mývatn, next to the Höfði peninsula. The draw is the Klasar — lava pillars standing out of the shallow water, left where the lake flooded a lava field. You walk in through a farm gate and follow a marked loop of about a kilometre; a longer 3.5 km route carries on to a second car park. It is one of the quieter corners of the lake.
I was at Mývatn for three days in July, in good weather, and the midges never bothered me once. That surprised me — the lake is literally named after them and everyone tells you to pack a head net. Treat it as good luck rather than a rule: the swarms come and go, and other people have had a miserable time in the same month. But the horror stories are not the whole picture either. Worth knowing which insect is which, too: the midges here do not bite, they just get into your eyes and mouth. The biting ones are the blackflies over at the Laxá.
My rating
Scale 1–5. On Cost, 1 means free and 5 means pricey. On Crowd level, 1 means near-solitude and 5 means tour-bus central.
Dark pillars against birch, rowan and water. It is a good scene rather than a spectacular one, and the three reflects that. The birdlife is the other reason to come — Barrow’s goldeneye and golden plover among them.
Kálfaströnd is about a 15-20 minute drive from the main area of Lake Mývatn. Visitors can reach it by taking Route 1 south and then turning onto Route 848. There is a small parking area near the trailheads.
Access is free and there was no parking charge when I visited. Iceland keeps adding parking fees at popular stops, so do not assume it stays that way — check before you count on it.
Kálfaströnd is quieter than many nearby attractions, and visitors often find themselves enjoying the solitude and peacefulness. The walking trails and open spaces allow for a relaxed pace and space to explore without crowds, especially outside of peak holiday times.
Before you go
Planning your own Ring Road trip?
Iceland Ring Road Campervan Guide
My full 14-day route — roughly 2,500 km, every campsite I used, what I actually spent, and the stops worth the detour. The plan I drove, in one PDF.
Advertising disclosure: The rental links below are affiliate links. If you book through one of them I earn a small commission — the price stays exactly the same for you.
How I booked my campervan
I compared three rentals before I chose mine. These are the ones worth checking — Lava gives 5% off with code CREATOR.