Laufskalavarda is a lava ridge covered in stone cairns on the Myrdalssandur sands in south Iceland, east of Vik. It sits beside the Ring Road.
Where Laufskalavarda is
Myrdalssandur is an outwash plain shaped by floods from under the Myrdalsjokull ice cap, where Katla lies.
The tradition of the cairns
By tradition, travellers crossing the sands for the first time place a stone on the ridge for good luck on the journey. Over time this has built up a field of many small cairns. The custom is said to date back to a farm that once stood here and was destroyed by an eruption of the volcano Katla.
What to know before stopping
It is a quick roadside stop rather than a long visit. Stones are provided at the site so visitors do not take rocks from the surrounding land. Laufskalavarda is east of Vik.
Visiting Laufskalavarda and South Coast tours
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Estimate the road time
Use the Driving Distance Calculator to work out how much driving time to allow around Laufskalavarda Cairns Iceland.
