Mosfellsbær (, colloquially Mosó) is a town in south-west Iceland, east of the country's capital, Reykjavík. The town of Mosfellsbær is a 15-minute drive from midtown Reykjavík. The district includes the Leiruvogur cove, which forms part of Kollafjörður fjord. Three rivers empty into the cove: Leirvogsá, Kaldakvísl and Varmá. Mosfellsbær provides numerous opportunities for outdoor and leisure activities. There has been a systematic development of outdoor recreational areas for residents, their guests and tourists. Often called "the green town", the town enjoys thermal activity and a number of greenhouses have been built there. Since 1933 it has supplied the capital area with natural hot water for house heating, swimming pools, and other uses. The mountainous area around the town is visited for hiking, skiing, hunting and fishing for trout and char in the small lakes. Landscape The natural landscape of Mosfellsbær is rugged, and 80% of the district lies more than 100 metres above sea level. Hills such as Mosfell, Grímannsfell, Helgafell and Úlfarsfell, all 200–300 metres high, dominate the landscape; their slopes are grassy with screes. Two valleys lie between the hills: Mosfellsdalur and Reykjadalur. Most of the district's population live in the latter valley. In 1900, the population of the Mosfellsbær district (then Mosfellssveit) was just 400, but has grown rapidly, especially in the latter half of the 20th century, led by the utilisation of geothermal resources and development of a woollen industry. The population was 5849 on 1 December 1999. The area around the Athletic Centre at Varmá is a recreational area. The residential area extends from Leiruvogur into the nearby valleys, and curves around the mountains. Travelers who head out of Reykjavík towards the west and north of Iceland will pass through Mosfellsbær on route 1, while the road to the Þingvellir National Park, route 36, branches off in Mosfellsbær up the Mosfellsdalur valley. The town is bordered by the ocean at Leiruvogur. Three rivers run to the sea: Leirvogsá, Kaldakvísl and Varmá. Discovery trail The town has a number of walking trails and footpaths, as well as designated “information paths”, where signs provide information about the surroundings. One walking/cycling path runs from the Reykjavík-Mosfellsbær border, along the coastline, to the sports complex at Varmá. There is also a walking path along the information path that runs from Álafosskvos to Reykir. View from Lágafell The top of Lágafellsklif provides views over the surrounding area. In good