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Christian Bickel fingalo CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

Skjaldbreiður

Volcano

A flat shield volcano in southwest Iceland, Skjaldbreiður formed from fluid basaltic eruptions after glaciation; visitors study its geology and reach it from Golden Circle routes for hikes and photography.

Skjaldbreiður SelfossÞingvellirGeysirGullfossSeljalandsfossSkógafossReynisfjaraLandmannalaugarSkjaldbreiður

Skjaldbreiður essentials

Country: Iceland
Driest months: Apr-Jun
Pay in: Krona (kr)
Language: Icelandic

Skjaldbreiður at a Glance

About Skjaldbreiður

Skjaldbreiður is a classic Icelandic shield volcano notable for its broad, rounded profile formed by extensive, low-viscosity basaltic lava flows. It is considered one of the best examples of shield volcanism in Iceland and gives the volcano its descriptive name.

The volcano’s morphology is dominated by gentle slopes rather than steep stratovolcanic cones, reflecting the eruption style that produced widespread sheet-like flows. Although formed in the early postglacial period, the volcano is not associated with frequent recent eruptions and is a prominent landscape feature.

Visitors view the volcano from surrounding roads and vantage points in west Iceland; the area around it contains other volcanic landforms and geomorphological features typical of Iceland’s volcanic zones.

Geographically it lies in western Iceland within the island’s volcanic province and is visible from the Borgarfjörður area and nearby highland approaches.

  • Name and morphology: The name means “broad shield” and refers to the volcano’s gently sloping, shield-like profile built by low-viscosity basaltic lavas.
When to Go

Best Time to Visit Skjaldbreiður

Visit Skjaldbreiður and surrounding highland areas in summer (June-August) when roads and trails are most accessible and daylight is longest.

Summer and high summer (best for access)
June-August · approx. 5°C to 12°C
Warmer conditions, long daylight and generally the best time for hiking and reaching sites in the Southern Region; some highland areas may still be cool.
Shoulder seasons
May, September · approx. 0°C to 10°C
Variable weather-possible snow at higher elevations in May and cooler conditions returning by September; check local access.
Winter
October-April · approx. -5°C to 5°C
Colder, with snow and ice likely at higher elevations and many highland roads or trails less accessible.

Weather & Climate near Skjaldbreiður

Climate

Skjaldbreiður's climate is classified as Tundra - Tundra climate with cold summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in March). Temperatures range from -8°C to 10°C. Abundant rainfall (1282 mm/year), wettest in October, distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.

Air Quality: AQI 16 Good
Best Time to Visit
JulyAugustJune
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
22°
Warmest Month
-24°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Poor -7° - -2° -13° 116 mm overcast 95% 9.0 m/s 0.0 low 5.0h
February Poor -7° - -3° -14° 122 mm overcast 95% 9.4 m/s 0.0 low 8.2h
March Poor -8° - -4° -14° 120 mm overcast 94% 9.0 m/s 0.2 low 11.5h
April Poor -6° - -1° -11° 83 mm overcast 91% 8.2 m/s 0.6 moderate 14.9h
May Poor -2° - 3° -5° 78 mm overcast 85% 7.2 m/s 0.9 moderate 18.2h
June Poor 2° - 7° 4° 93 mm overcast 83% 6.0 m/s 1.1 high 20.4h
July Acceptable 4° - 10° 3° 91 mm overcast 83% 5.9 m/s 0.9 moderate 19.3h
August Poor 4° - 9° 3° 115 mm overcast 85% 5.8 m/s 0.6 moderate 16.1h
September Poor 1° - 5° -3° 108 mm overcast 91% 6.8 m/s 0.3 low 12.8h
October Poor -3° - 1° -7° 129 mm overcast 94% 6.9 m/s 0.1 low 9.5h
November Poor -6° - -1° -11° 107 mm overcast 95% 7.6 m/s 0.0 low 6.0h
December Poor -7° - -2° -12° 120 mm overcast 96% 8.5 m/s 0.0 low 3.6h