Þórsmörk (Langidalur)

This is a mountain range and valley in the south of Iceland, sandwiched between the Tindfjallajökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. The name was given by Thor himself - yes, the same thunder god from Scandinavian mythology, so it is literally Thor's Wood.

There is a daily bus service from Reykjavik and other Icelandic towns. The valley is surrounded by three rivers - Crossau, Trengau and Markarflout; Crossau is cold and fast, because it flows directly from the glacier, so a bridge was built over it for pedestrians.

This is a favorite place for trekkers: glacier hikes, waterfalls, mountain peaks and the famous multi-day route Leigavegur to Landmannaleighar. Despite the harsh Icelandic environment, the protected valley has a surprisingly warm microclimate - moss, fern, birch and shrubs grow.

Neighboring Eyjafjallajokudl did remind of itself in the spring of 2010: the eruption covered the surrounding area with volcanic ash, which settled for several months (and paralyzed aviation in half of Europe). Everything is calm now, but history is instructive - Iceland does not hide its volcanoes.