Lagarfljót River
Lagarfljót is a glacial lake in the Fljótsdalur valley of East Iceland, 25 kilometres long and up to 112 metres deep. It is fed by meltwater from Vatnajökull, giving it a characteristic grey-green colour. The lake is best known as the legendary home of the Lagarfljótsormur, a many-humped serpent-like creature that has been reported in Icelandic records since 1345, earning it the nickname Iceland's Loch Ness monster. The lake sits beside Egilsstaðir, the largest town in East Iceland.
Iceland's Loch Ness Monster, First Sighted in 1345 and Still Unresolved
The Lagarfljótsormur, or Lagarfljót Worm, is one of the most persistent creatures in Icelandic folklore. The oldest known recorded sighting appears in medieval Icelandic annals from 1345, described as island-like shapes rising hundreds of fathoms apart from the water with neither head nor tail visible. A 1589 account claims the creature raised its back so high that a fully rigged sailing ship could have passed beneath it. The most recent widely discussed sighting came in 2012, when a farmer filmed what appeared to be a large, undulating shape moving in the river feeding the lake. The video received millions of views and prompted an official Icelandic truth commission to investigate. The commission concluded it had no reason to doubt the existence of the creature. The origin legend tells of a young woman who placed a gold ring beneath a small serpent in a chest to make the gold grow. The serpent grew too large, the woman threw the chest into the lake, and the creature has been there ever since.
Beyond the monster, Lagarfljót and the surrounding valley offer several worthwhile stops. Hallormsstaðaskógur, Iceland's largest forest, lines the eastern shore of the lake and is popular for walking and camping. The Hengifoss waterfall trail begins nearby, leading to Iceland's third-tallest waterfall with distinctive red clay layers visible in the basalt cliff face. Skriðuklaustur, a 15th-century monastery ruin and former home of writer Gunnar Gunnarsson, sits at the southern end of the lake and now serves as a cultural centre and café. The Vatnajökull National Park visitor centre is also in the area. Monster sighting information boards are posted at various rest stops around the lake, marking locations from which the creature has reportedly been seen.
The scenic loop around the lake is about 70 kilometres, using Route 1 and Road 931, and takes roughly 90 minutes to drive without stops. Egilsstaðir, the main service town for East Iceland, sits directly on the northern shore of Lagarfljót and is the base for most visitors to the area. The town has a good selection of accommodation, restaurants, and a supermarket, and is connected to Reykjavik by domestic flights from Egilsstaðir Airport.
