I visited this tWHS in 2022 as one of the main stops along the ring road loop. Unsurprisingly in Iceland, its OUV lies in geological features which through the passage of time have shaped rich habitats particularly for avifauna.

The geological features are indeed spectacular which seems to be quite a constant almost everywhere in Iceland. Myvatn and Laxa are situated along the volcanic zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The perfectly shaped pseudo craters which were formed by steam explosions as hot lava flowed into the lake some 2,300 years ago are more impressive from a distance or from the air than by climbing the few trails or wooden boardwalks present. There are a couple of panoramic viewpoints around the lake with information boards in English on the different geological phenomena and on the biodiversity present here. Luckily it seemed to be too windy for the infamous midges which give Myvatn its name to roam around so I could easily enjoy different hikes around the area. At the pseudo craters location I opted for the signposted birdwatching trail which goes pretty close to the nesting and resting sites of several species of birds, mostly waders, small passerines and above all geese and ducks. Several species of the latter, some quite rare, nest here in the largest numbers recorded almost anywhere else in the world. Apart from their differing distinct plumage, keep your eyes peeled for the colour of the ducks' eyes, the rare ones have red eyes (Great Northern Diver, Red Throated Diver, Harlequin Duck and Horned Grebe (photo)) or bright yellow (Barrow’s Goldeneye - the bird trail is excellent for spotting this species in spring/summer, although it tends to stay quite away from any human activity). Although with some luck, patience and good zoom lenses you can still spot some of the rarer birds, the best time to visit to appreciate the high number of bird species seems to be April-May. That said, the fact that when midges are practically absent, there are far fewer birds to see, is a fair tradeoff as at least I could do some decent hiking and explore the area almost undisturbed. For some more general information on the bird life at Myvatn for birdwatchers and non-birdwatchers alike, there's also a small dedicated museum called Sigurgeir's Bird Museum worth visiting.

Next I parked my car at the small Hofdi utsyni parking area and enjoyed my time walking around (and sometimes almost getting a bit lost in the maze-like trails) this well looked after small forested peninsula. Hofdi gives you a nice break from the bare surrounding landscapes. Apparently, it is the result of a couple spending their summer vacations at Hofdi and for decades they planted trees and plants. When the husband died, the wife donated this place. In one of the coves, you can get very close to the unique lava pillars of Kálfastrandavogar standing in the turquoise waters of the lake. On a couple of occasions I startled some snipes that were resting in this usually quiet place, and in turn they gave me quite a fright as they flew at full speed towards the sky!

I also visited the nearby Dimmuborgir lava fields located on the opposite side of Lake Myvatn. The lava formations there are thought to be the remains of a lava tube which formed above a lake about 2,300 years ago, trapping the water. As it began to cool, the reservoir which is estimated to have been 10 meters deep, was released, leaving only those shapes created by steam. These rock formations are quite unique and the only known similar feature is currently under water off the coast of Mexico. I did a combination of the small and big circle trails (each only taking around 15 and 30 minutes respectively), covering the Borgarskora channel and some of the main features there, as well as Hallarflöt, a small grassy area surrounded by lava pinnacles and rock formations. The most famous of these formations is nicknamed as "The Church" and is a cave open at both ends with a dome-like ceiling. If you're pressed for time, this popular formation can easily be skipped and instead focus on the splendid Lake Myvatn views in the background.

Last but not least, I also visited the small lava cave of Grjótagjá (photo). It has a fuming cobalt blue thermal spring inside which can be seen by almost crawling (especially if you're a bit tall) from two small cracks in the lava rocks and swimming is not allowed. Instead, the nearby lava cave of Stóragjá is being used as an alternative bathing site. Worth the extra effort, but if you're a bit claustrophobic be prepared to share the limited space available with a lot of Game of Thrones fans!