Around the lake there are some high mountains, for example Skarðsheiði [ˈskarðsˌheiːðɪ].

Unusually for Iceland, the shores of the lake are quite forested due to reforestation started by a governmental initiative.

Consequently, the valley looks a bit like some regions in the Alps, for example near Salzburg in Austria.

The lake is also a reservoir so that the level of the water surface has been raised.

There are no villages on the shores, but many of summer houses.