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The Icelandic Highlands cover the majority of the country and many of Iceland’s main natural attractions can be found here. Away from crowds, noise and bustle, the Highlands offer unique silence, serenity, peace and extreme natural beauty.
They are accessible from June to September, and a favourite location for hikers and photographers.
The Central Highlands
The Central Highlands cover a vast area, at an altitude of over 500 metres (1640 feet), with numerous mountains reaching heights between 1,000 and 2,000 metres (3,281 and 6562 feet). Most of these higher mountains are covered by glaciers.
The tallest mountain in the country is located in the Highlands, beneath Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull. Hvannadalshnúkur stands at an incredible 2,109 metres (6,919 feet) tall, and can be reached on some helicopter tours. Another notable peak is Bárðarbunga, a sub-glacial volcano in northwest Vatnajökull that stands at 2,000 metres.
Vatnajökull is the greatest of the three largest glaciers in the country, all of which are in the Central Highlands; the others are Hofsjökull in the centre of Iceland and Langjökull, west of Hofsjökull.
Various highlands paths lie between the glaciers. These usually open in June, but late snows have been known to push the opening to July. One of the major ones is Kjölur, which connects the south and north Iceland running located between Hofsjökull and Langjökull through a region of rhyolite mountains and geothermal oases.
Sprengisandur, is another important path that connects the south and north, located between Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull.
Kaldidalur is also a significant highland road stretching west of Langjökull, from Þingvellir towards the Borgarfjörður district.
Remember always that the natural environment that makes up Iceland's Highlands is as delicate as it is enchanting. The slightest damage inflicted upon small areas can cause erosion and irreversible landscape wounds that can easily spread over large areas. When travelling in the Highlands, therefore, visitors must at all times uphold responsible travel etiquette.
Driving off roads and designated paths is strictly forbidden and punishable by heavy fines. The moss is delicate and should not be walked or camped on, let alone removed, and fishing is heavily regulated.
The South Highlands
Almost all the mountains south of the glaciers are tuff mountains, formed during the Ice Age. Volcanic activity is confined to tuff areas of the country and in the southern Highlands are some of its most active volcanoes: Hekla, Eyjafjallajökull and Katla, which sits under Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s fourth largest glacier
Eyjafjallajökull is the most famous of these volcanoes. When it erupted in 2010, it caused widespread disruption to air travel across Europe, and widespread confusion to newsreaders everywhere as they tried to pronounce it; it was thus nicknamed to E11.
The South Highlands is also home to Landmannalaugar, one of the country's best hiking and hot spring bathing sites.
Northeast, Central-North and Northwest Highlands
In the northeast of the Highlands are the Lakagígar Craters the famous subglacial lake and volcano, Grímsvötn, and the glacier Öræfajökull. North of Vatnajökull, the best-known volcanoes are Askja and Krafla.
Also in this area is the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, which holds the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss.
The northwest and central-north Highlands consist of ancient basalt formations, similar to the mountains that comprise the Eastfjords.
Highland Oases
There are a few oases in the highlands that have unique vegetation and wildlife. The most important of these are Þjórsárver, Nýidalur/Jökuldalur, Herðubreiðarlindir and Eyjabakkar. The pink-footed goose has its main nesting places at Þjórsárver and Eyjabakkar. Þjórsárver was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990.
Wild reindeer reside in the east Highlands; this is the only place they can be seen. Initially brought over for farming, the industry never took out and they have roamed free in their herds since.
Landmannalaugar, the People's Pools, is a vast area of stunning and unique beauty in the heart of Iceland's southern Highlands. Throughout the summer, it is one of the most popular places for hiking, either over one day or several, and natural hot spring bathing.
Geology
Landmannalaugar is a truly rare area, both geologically and aesthetically. The dramatic region can be found nestled beside the raven-black Laugahraun lava field, a sweeping expanse of dried magma which originally formed in 1477.
Landmannalaugar itself is made up of windswept rhyolite mountains, a rock type that creates a full spectrum of dazzling colour. Shades of red, pink, green, blue and golden yellow make for an ethereal location.
Landmannalaugar was historically best known for its natural geothermal baths, hence its name the People's Pools. For centuries, it served as an area of shelter and respite for weary travellers who use these soothing springs as a means to relax after tiring excursions.
Originally, those attending were settlers crossing the barren highlands, but today, they are tourists after an exciting trip.
Today, visitors to the highlands should always bring a swimsuit and towel, just in case one of these naturally occurring hot pools should crop up along the hiking trail.
The most popular road leading to Landmannalaugar, Sigölduleið, has such springs, and takes you past multiple stunning natural features, including Bláhylur lake, a magnificent body of water nestled in a dormant volcanic crater.
Landmannalaugar can be reached by car in one of two ways. The quickest is driving through West Iceland, either via Selfoss or Þingvellir National Park. A longer but more scenic route would take you along the South Coast of Iceland. This is Iceland’s most popular sightseeing route other than the Golden Circle, due to its wealth of sites.
Of course, like many of Iceland’s destinations, Landmannalaugar can also be reached via helicopter, for those who are travelling with less of a concern for budget. Those on more of a shoestring can buy a bus pass, to take select buses to and from different parts of the Laugavegur hiking route, usable over a period of time or else whilst completing the route in one direction.
Hiking
Landmannalauagar marks the northern end of the Laugavegur, one of Iceland's most popular hiking trails. This route connects Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk, the ‘Valley of Thor’, ending at the beautiful Skógafoss waterfall.
It is also home to many other notable trails, however, including the path onto the mighty Mt. Brennisteinsalda, the ‘Sulphur Wave’ crater. Visitors can also traverse the trail up the Bláhnjúkur volcano, the Blue Peak, whose summit allows for a sweeping view of up to five glaciers on clear days.
Multiple operators run daily tours to Landmannalaugar from mid-June to mid-September, during which time the Icelandic Touring Association operates a small shop, three campsites and a mountain hut equipped with sleeping bags and accommodation for up to 80 visitors.
It is only recommended you take a multi-day hike with an operator. If visiting Landmannalaugar without a guide, you will need a four-wheel-drive.
Hekla, nicknamed ‘the Gateway to Hell’ in the Middle Ages, is one of Iceland’s most explosive, unpredictable and powerful volcanoes. It has erupted twenty to thirty times since settlement, and remains active to this day.
Geography of Hekla
Hekla is located in the south of Iceland, just north of the country’s most famous volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, which last erupted in 2010, causing planes to be grounded and reporters to be tongue-tied for weeks. A dominant peak, standing at 1,491 metres tall (4,892 feet), it can be seen for miles around.
Hekla is part of a 40 kilometre (25 mile) rift, the most active part, called Heklugjá, being under the volcano itself. There are many craters at the peak, two of which are known to erupt more than the others.
Unlike Eyjafjallajökull and Iceland’s other most active volcano, Katla, Hekla does not sit underneath any significant glacier, meaning its eruptions should not cause ash clouds to the same degree. In spite of this, some have been so great that the ash produced was still enough to change the climate of the northern hemisphere for years.
Hekla has also produced one of the greatest lava flows of this millenium of any volcano in the world, at eight cubic kilometres. Approximately 10 percent of Iceland’s landmass was brought up by lava from Hekla.
History of Hekla
The first recorded eruption at Hekla was in 1104, and it was so great and significant that it drew attention across Europe; the effects it had on the weather, on people’s breathing, and on agriculture lasted for years.
This, however, was not the first time it had done so; undiscovered by man, it had contributed to a third of all volcanic ash across northern Europe for the past seven millenia.
It would not significantly erupt again until 1300, although it had been recorded going off several times in between; one of the most notorious things about Hekla is its unpredictability, sometimes exploding within a decade of its last eruption, sometimes laying dormant for nearly a century.
For this reason, the farms around it were largely abandoned, partly explaining why today there are few settlements in Iceland’s south.
Further serious eruptions occurred in 1693 and 1845 with international consequences, but none as significant as the one that began in 1947. Lava bombs weighing over 20 kilograms (44 pounds) landed 32 kilometres away; some as large as 50 square metres (538 square feet) were thrown a kilometre. It took just 52 two hours before the enormous cloud of ash was covering Helsinki.
It would be thirteen months before the eruption stopped, ebbing and flowing with power, but constantly pouring ash into the atmosphere, poisoning crops and livestock.
It is likely many died of respiratory problems as a result, but Hekla even directly killed one person. A scientist filming the great lava flows from the crater, some of which were 15 metres (49 feet) tall, was struck by a block of lava.
Hekla erupted again in 1970 for two months, but since has only gone off for a few days at a time, in 1981, 1982, 1991 and 2000.
Though the 2000 one seemed inconsequential, it was later discovered that it proved that Hekla was even more frightening than was already thought. The remains of a pyroclastic flow, the most dangerous element of an eruption, where searing ash and rock travel at enormous speeds and raze all they meet, had occured for over five kilometres (three miles).
Hekla today
In spite of its volatile nature, Hekla can still be considered a safe place to visit; there are hiking opportunities all around it, and some tour operators embark in super jeeps journeys to its slopes. Visitors should not be afraid of the volcano’s potential, just aware of it.
Of course, before heading to Hekla if travelling without a guide, ensure you check the meteorological office’s website to ensure that there are no alerts that an eruption may be imminent. The volcano is monitored constantly.
In spite of this, Hekla remains as unpredictable as it ever was, and visitors are warned that in spite of every good measure, there is always a chance an eruption could start without being noticed.
Volcanologists also warn that it is overdue, and due to this volcano’s patterns, the warning time between knowing an eruption is imminent and it occurring will often be just an hour or less.
Fjallabak may refer to Fjallabak Nature Reserve, or two highland routes, South Fjallabaksleid or the North Fjallbaksleid. The name 'Fjallabak' literally translates to 'The Back of the Mountains', or 'Mountain Back'.
See Also: Central Highlands Tours
Fjallabak Nature Reserve
Fjallabak Nature Reserve ("Friðland að Fjallabaki") is an area in the Icelandic Highlands surrounding the popular hiking destination of Landmannalaugar, protected since 1979. The entire area is more than 500 metres above sea level and characterised by colourful mountains, geothermal valleys and volcanic activity. The colour is due to the rhyolite and obsidian making the ground appear green, blue, pink, red and yellow. Lava fields, rivers and lakes also make their mark on this Nature Reserve.
A popular natural hot spring is located at Landmannalaugar camping ground, where visitors will frequently bathe. A mountain hut is also found in the area, perfect for guests to book overnight stays, use the kitchen and the bathroom facilities. All amenities are basic and very rustic and there are no food or grocery shops available in the area.
The area is most popular with hikers; to reach it a 4WD car is needed as some rivers need to be crossed. Fjallabak Nature Reserve is also only accessible during summertime, as it is covered with thick ice and snow in wintertime.
Iceland's most popular hiking route, Laugavegurinn, leads from Landmannalaugar within Fjallabak Nature Reserve to Þórsmörk. The route is 55km and hikers normally take 3-4 days to hike it.
South Fjallabaksleid
The South Fjallabaksleið ('Fjallabaksleið syðri') is an old highland route north of Mýrdalsjökull glacier, connecting Rangárvellir (the eastern part of the South Iceland lowlands) to Skaftártunga (the area northwest of Mýrdalsjökull).
The area is very dry, sporting scant vegetation as it is situated between mountains that have a strong volcanic activity. The mountains have left endless amounts of ash, sand and lava in the area which is now covered in moss, creating a truly unique regional look.
From the west, South Fjallabaksleið starts from Keldur, in Rangárvellir, then goes eastwards to Laufafell, across Markarfljót river to Álftavatn lake (there are huts at Álftavatn owned by the Icelandic Touring Association). It continues onwards to Mælifellssandur before ending at Skaftártunga. Dating back to Medieval times, this was the main route for farmers as they led their sheep to be sold in the town of Eyrarbakki, on the South Coast.
North Fjallabaksleid
In more recent times, another track, North Fjallabaksleið ('Fjallabaksleið nyrðri'), has been laid, connecting the two aforementioned areas. This track lies further north across the South Iceland highlands, starting on the west side of Galtalækur in Rangárvellir, leading on the north of Hekla, through Landmannalaugar and Jökuldalir and towards Svartinúpur in Skaftártunga in the East. This north track was originally named Landmannaleið by the local farmers who used it.
Blahnjukur (a.k.a. Blahnukur) is a volcano in the area of Landmannalaugar, in the south highlands of Iceland.
Blahnjukur's name ('Blue Peak') comes from its blue-black colour, due to lava flows and volcanic ash. Next to Blahnjukur is the volcano Brennisteinsalda.
Blahnukur is popular for hiking and offers a magnificent view from the top, wherefrom five glaciers may be sighted.
Brennisteinsalda (ca. 855 m) is a volcano in the area of Landmannalaugar National Park, in the south highlands of Iceland.
Brennisteinsalda is a highly colourful mountain, coloured by suplhur (wherefrom it gets is name, 'Sulphur Wave'), blue and black lava and ashes, green mosses and red iron. In front of the mountain is an obsidian lava field.
The popular Laugavegur hiking trail passes Brennisteinsalda and nearby is the Blahnukur volcano.
Ljotipollur is a explosion crater lake in the south highlands, situated in the southernmost crater in the Veidivotn fissure system.
Strangely enough, Ljotipollur's name means 'Ugly Puddle', since this crater anything but, being beautifully red with the deep trout-filled lake at its bottom and high edges on its sides.
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