24. Álftanes - End moraine

The Álftanes ridge is a glacial end-moraine formed in front of an outlet glacier that covered parts of the Reykjavík area at the end of the last glaciation.  Iceland presidential residence, Bessastaðir, is located on the ridge. It is low and broad and might have been formed under sea level, it seems at least clear that it has been transgressed by sea after it was formed. The Álftanes ridge is the largest end-moraine in SW Iceland. Several smaller moe-raine ridges are found inside the Reykjavík area such as at the head of Kópavogur and Grafarvogur. The age of the Álftanes end-moraine is unknown, it seems to be younger than the  Fossvogur layers but might be of Younger Dryas age.

Approach. The best place to investigate  the Álftanes end-moraine is on the driveway to Bessastaðir. The road traverses the ridge for several hundreds of metres.

Árni Hjartarson, 2010