Some mountains in Iceland are more impressive than others. It doesn't have to do with size or magnitude. It has more to do with its role and identity. Baula in Borgarfjörður is one of those mountains. Like Keilir on the Reykjanes Peninsula Baula is known to most Icelanders. At the mere mention of those two mountains, everyone can instantly visualize them and their surroundings. Like Keilir, Baula is cone-shaped and has forever served as a landmark for travelers. When you pass Baula, you are leaving the south part of Iceland and venturing on the dangerous Holtavörðuheiði moor, where the weather can be portentous. The mountain marks the end of the secure world when traveling from the south – and means you have reached safety when traveling from the north.
Apart from being a landmark, the Baula Mountain is quite beautiful with its red and orange hues caused by its rhyolite rock composition. It is 934 meters high and was created approximately 3 million years ago. Geologically it is classified as an intrusion. In geological terms, it is a batholith, which is a mass of rock that has been thrust upwards from deep within the earth. Nearby you'll find Litla-Baula (Tiny Baula), where rare columnar strands of rhyolite are to be found. Together, Baula and Litla-Baula are considered the most beautiful pair of mountains in Iceland.