Gígjökull Glacier

The outlet glacier Gígjökull is a part of Eyjafjallajökull glacier and originates from within the caldera of Eyjafjallajökull.

The glacier has cut a gap in the caldera rim on the northern side of the caldera, and the glacier flows down to the lowland through a small and short valley that it has formed. Gígjökull is one of two outlet glaciers that flow from the northern side of Eyjafjallajökull glacier, the other one being Steinholtsjökull outlet glacier which is in the next valley just east of Gígjökull.

Gígjökull has piled up a majestic moraine in front of it and the whole area in front of the glacier is beautiful. Before the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, there was also a large glacial lagoon in front of the glacier, but it was filled up by material brought by glacial outburst floods during the eruption.

The glacial river has dug itself somewhat down into the fill, but in many places you can still see beautiful formations in the sediment from the outburst flood, including kettle holes. During the eruption, the glacier melted and fractured heavily, both due to the lava flow and the glacial outburst floods during the eruption, but is now recovering slowly, but is still far from what it was.