Lava land
Everyone knows that “one does
not simply walk into Mordor”. So
anyone wanting to get their fill of
black, craggy rocks, menacing
volcanoes and smoking lava flows
without invoking the wrath of Sauron
should head for Kamchatka. Sitting
at the far eastern edge of Russia,
the Kamchatka peninsula is the
most volcanically active area on the
Eurasian continent, and is littered with
spectacular sights – like the lava tube
shown here.
After a volcanic eruption, lava tends
to flow in distinct channels. As the
overflow from these streams cools,
the lava begins to solidify. Over time,
the flowing lava melts the ground
below it, making the furrow deeper
while the embankments left above
eventually connect, forming a canopy.
Lava tubes can be found all over
the world, but are most likely to
occur in areas where the lava is
especially fluid.PHOTO: DENIS BUDKOVNATURE