Cryptid Vault
Lagarfljot Worm

Lagarfljot Worm

Also known as: Lagarfljotsormurinn, Iceland Worm Monster

Iceland's answer to the Loch Ness Monster lives in a glacial river-lake and may have been sighted on camera in 2012.

First Reported

1345

Origin Area

Lagarfljot Lake, eastern Iceland

Size

Up to 300 feet (folklore), 30+ feet (modern reports)

Temperament

Passive, surfacing creature

Status

2012 video sparked renewed interest

Photo/video claimsLow DangerEuropeLake

The Lore

The Lagarfljot Worm is said to inhabit Lagarfljot, a murky glacial lake in eastern Iceland. Accounts date back to 1345 in Icelandic annals. The creature is described as a long, serpentine form that sometimes appears coiled on the surface or stretched along the shore. In 2012, a video showing a snake-like form moving through icy water went viral and was deemed 'authentic' by a truth commission, though skeptics identified it as a fishing net dragged by current.

Body Type

Serpentine

Folklore Origin

Indigenous traditionHistorical reports

Notable Witnesses

  • Hjortur Kjerulf (2012 video)

Media Appearances

  • River Monsters (TV reference)

Similar Real Animals

European eelGreenland shark