Vatnshellir_9351
In Snæfellsnes. The name Vatnshellir (litterally water cave)
is from the snow and ice that did not melt the whole summer and the fishermen from the fishing stadions at the shore could get fresh water. The area is very dry, because the lava fields swallow all rain into the porous ground. The cave is an 8000 year old lava tube created by volcanic eruption from a nearby crater in the Purkhólar crater family. As the lava rushed down the hill in a lava river, it began to cool on the surface, creating a crust on top of the lava river. As the eruption stopped, all the lava from underneath this crust continued to drain out. That left behind empty tube with roof on top that gradually cooled down.
Vatnshellir_9351
In Snæfellsnes. The name Vatnshellir (litterally water cave)
is from the snow and ice that did not melt the whole summer and the fishermen from the fishing stadions at the shore could get fresh water. The area is very dry, because the lava fields swallow all rain into the porous ground. The cave is an 8000 year old lava tube created by volcanic eruption from a nearby crater in the Purkhólar crater family. As the lava rushed down the hill in a lava river, it began to cool on the surface, creating a crust on top of the lava river. As the eruption stopped, all the lava from underneath this crust continued to drain out. That left behind empty tube with roof on top that gradually cooled down.