A Seat by the Lake

Follow the lights

There's a new path at Magma. It starts just beyond the cabins, where the spruce and birch grow close together.

A few earthen steps lead you down. Warm lights hang between the branches above you.

Then the trees open up, and the lake is right in front of you.

Built with what was already here

We didn't want anything loud by the water. So we kept it simple.

Chairs made from weathered timber. A wooden crate for a table. A lantern with a single candle.

The wood already looks like it has been there for years. That's exactly the point. It's a place to sit, and that's enough.

By day

In autumn, the leaves turn copper and gold around the seats. The lake lies flat and silver. On the far shore, low hills fade into the clouds.

Set your glass down on the old timber. Look out over the water. On a still day, the sky sits on the surface like a mirror.

Bring a book. Bring a glass from the bar. Or bring nothing at all, and just watch the water move.

After dark

When the light goes, the place changes.

The lantern is lit. The trees glow warm against a sky full of stars. On a clear night, you can trace the Milky Way right over the water.

It's quiet down here. You hear the lake, the wind in the branches, maybe a bird settling in for the night.

When the sky moves

Autumn and winter bring longer nights. Longer nights bring a chance of northern lights.

On one recent night, the sky turned green over the lake. The lantern was still burning on the table, and the aurora rolled slowly above the seats.

Up the hill, it spread across the sky above the cabins too.

We can't promise it. The aurora keeps its own schedule. But when it does show up, this is a front-row seat. Quite literally.

Finding it

Walk from the cabins toward the trees by the lake, and follow the string of lights. The path takes you straight there.

Dress warm after dark. The Icelandic air is crisp this time of year.

Take your time. The lake isn't going anywhere.

Let the land lead.

Ready for a seat by the lake? Book your stay.