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Vatnajokull glacier is a breathtaking sight but not a smart place to take a hike. PIC Andrea

Vatnajokull glacier is a breathtaking sight but not a smart place to take a hike. PIC Andrea

Depending on your lust for all things Icelandic you may have heard about some recent warnings about travel in certain areas of this country. Last such warning just today when local authorities heightened surveillance on Bardarbunga volcano.

Bardarbunga, or Bárðarbunga in the local language, is one devious volcano because it is hidden under the ice cap of the Vatnajokull glacier. You may actually be walking right on top of it admiring the view and life in general when suddenly you´ll know what people mean about being blown to smithereens. On the other hand that´s quite a way to go actually.

That scenario is actually a bit far-fetched since Bardarbunga is not the center of travel in Iceland and only the hardened souls contemplate walking on Vatnajokull glacier at any time. In fact, walking on large glaciers for fun is tantamount to stupidity if you ask us.

However, the local authorities have measured quite unusual activity at Bardarbunga for the last 48 hours or so which explains the warning. Bardarbunga is found in the Northwest part of Vatnajokull and thankfully well away from any places frequented by tourists or locals.

But while the actual setting is pretty removed from any human settlement, what makes Bardarbunga scarier than hell is the fact it is the LARGEST volcanic system in Iceland. Since you know well what an tiny volcano like Eyjafjallajokull can do to your plans you might want to think twice about being anywhere near this shit. If Bardarbunga blows it could well tear a huge chunk of the glacier apart since the fissures underneath go for miles in many directions. It will certainly produce flash floods in a number of directions too. And it will most certainly be pretty explosive as untold megatons of ice and water meet with the fire from below.

You don´t believe us? Then consider that the last major eruption from this place produced the largest known lava flow on earth for the last ten thousand years at least. Picture that!

Thus, the answer to the headline question is an absolute and resounding YES.

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