Matkaopas: Eyjabakkar

Eyjabakkar is an oasis in the East Highlands of Iceland. 

Explore this area of Iceland on a self drive tour.

This is Iceland's second-largest wetland, the largest being Thjorsarver, itself a RAMSAR-site. The Eyjabakkar wetland is a site of immense natural beauty, located at a height of 650 meters and has some of the most diverse vegetation in the highlands. The area is very boggy and its main plants are angelica and hedges, which can reach unusually large heights. As for wildlife, this area is one of the largest nesting places in the world for the pink footed goose and the estimated number of breeding pairs is 7000.

Eyjabakkar came under threat in the early 2000s as there were plans to irrigate the area. After much protest those plans were aborted, but the glacier river Jokulsa aDal/Bru was chosen instead and dammed to provide energy for the Karahnjukar Hydropower plant to provide 2600 GWh for Alcoa's aluminium smelter in Reydarfjordur, on the eastern shore of Ieland. That construction has been no less debated than the original dam plans for Eyjabakkar.