Iceland changes a lot when winter sets in. The land changes color, the rivers become less watery, and the lakes freeze. Lakes cover 2,757 km² of Iceland’s surface, or 2.68% of the country’s total area. To put the size in perspective, the glaciers cover 11,922 km² or 11.6% of Iceland’s area, by far the largest being Vatnajökull, which is the largest glacier in the world outside the Arctic regions. The largest of the lakes are Þórisvatn and Þingvallavatn, but Þingvallavatn has the upper hand for most of the year. Þórisvatn is larger in the fall and into winter, depending on how much Landsvirkjun, The National Power Company of Iceland, manages to collect in Þórisvatn, for the hydro dams, for the winter. Then, don’t forget the ever-changing coastline, where there are endless opportunities to see the land and the colors change with the light.
Photos / Text : Páll Stefánsson
Iceland : 07/12/2025 – A7R IV, A7C R : FE 2.8/100mm GM, FE 1.2/50mm GM, FE 1.4/24mm GM
