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The Icelandic Highlands cover the majority of the country and many of Iceland’s impressive natural attractions can be found here. Away from crowds, noise and bustle, the Highlands offer silence, serenity, peace and extreme natural beauty.
A favourite amongst hikers and photographers, the Highlands are accessible from June to September.
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 routes is Kjölur, which connects the south and north of Iceland. It is located between Hofsjökull and Langjökull and passes through a region of rhyolite mountains and geothermal oases.
Sprengisandur, is another noteworthy path connecting the south and north, and it is located between Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull.
Kaldidalur is also a significant highland road stretching west of Langjökull, from Þingvellir towards the Borgarfjörður district.
Always remember 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. Consequently, when travelling in the Highlands visitors must at all times uphold responsible travel etiquette.
Driving off-road 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 the southern Highlands are home to some of Iceland's 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 major 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.
Nestled between the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull, Mýrdalsjökull, and Tindfjallajökull is Þórsmörk, the Valley of Thor. A nature reserve in the southern Icelandic highlands, Þórsmörk is one of the country's most popular hiking destinations and a favourite location for photographers and nature lovers alike.
Strictly speaking, Þórsmörk is a valley and a mountain range between the Krossá, Þröngá, and Markarfljót rivers.
Locals, however, often use the name ‘Þórsmörk’ when referring to a much larger region that is composed of the area between Þórsmörk proper, and the Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano, the peak that notoriously erupted in 2010 and caused widespread disruption to air traffic in Europe.
Landscapes and Geology
The contrasting vistas of lush oases and roaring glacier rivers cutting through black desert expanses not only make Þórsmörk unique in Iceland but to the entire world. Parts of the valley are rich with moss, fern, and birchwood, while jagged mountain ridges and ice-capped peaks crown the horizon.
The valley's climate is warmer and calmer than usual in south Iceland, which often causes Þórsmörk's mountains to be cloaked in a veil of mist that materialises when the warm valley air ascends and mixes with the descending cold breath of the glaciers above. This is due to the colossal peaks that both surround and shelter it.
In spite of being warmer, Þórsmörk is also wetter than the rest of the country. This, however, only brightens the vegetation, giving the area a lush, emerald hue.
Activities
Þórsmörk's surrounding hills, slopes and mountains are beset with small valleys and gullies that make for some of Iceland's most astonishing hiking routes.
Experienced hikers, therefore, have a wealth of trails to trek, varying in distances and difficulty. In fact, Þórsmörk offers two of the most popular trails in Iceland, the Fimmvörðuháls and the Laugavegur routes.
Fimmvörðuháls is a 30 kilometres (19 miles) trail that takes you into the hills beneath the Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano and to the volcanic craters Magni and Móði, which erupted during the 2010 eruption. You can feel the lingering effects of the volcano by feeling heat still rising from the lava rock.
The 55 kilometre (34 miles) Laugavegur path takes you from Þórsmörk to the Landmannalaugar geothermal area, which is home to an incredible wealth of hot springs and rhyolite mountains of vibrant colours.
A short but demanding hike from Þórsmörk up Mt. Útigönguhöfði is suitable for those who are looking for stunning views and don't mind a little physical challenge.
Accommodation and How To Get There
During winter (October 16th to April 30th) the road into Þórsmörk is impassable. In summer (May 1st to October 15th) a special four-wheel-drive mountain bus runs three times per day from the BSÍ bus terminal in central Reykjavík.
Once there you have the choice of setting up base in a small hut in Húsadalur valley, a private room or a dormitory in Langidalur valley, or to camp in Þórsmörk's campsite. Please note that the huts, private rooms and dormitories must be booked well in advance.
Of course, when the roads are clear, it is possible to drive there yourself. As with all cases with driving in Iceland, however, ensure that you are comfortable with the vehicle you have and your driving skills before setting off.
The glacier volcano of Eyjafjallajökull is notorious the world over for causing havoc to air travel in 2010, and stumping television anchors everywhere as they tried to pronounce it. 1651 metres (5427 feet) tall, it is one of the most dominant features of the South Coast.
Geography
The glacier of Eyjafjallajökull is approximately 100 square kilometres (39 square miles), making it the country’s sixth largest. It sits close to the fourth greatest, Mýrdalsjökull, which also conceals another notorious volcano, this one called Katla.
While Eyjafjallajökull’s eruption was huge and disruptive, it pales in comparison to the potential of Katla. Far more explosive, and under much thicker ice, an eruption here in unfavourable wind conditions could have worldwide consequences.
The magma chambers between both of these mighty volcanoes are connected, and, unfortunately for us, an eruption at Eyjafjallajökull is usually followed by one at Katla within a decade.
Eyjafjallajökull has many glacial outlets, the most famous being Gígjökull. Many rivers flow from its meltwater, and one of these falls into the beautiful South Coast waterfall, Seljalandsfoss, which it is possible to fully encircle.
Eruptions
Eyjafjallajökull’s most recent eruption was no doubt the most famous in Iceland’s history (although the honour really should go to Laki, the 1783-4 eruption of which caused an ash cloud so great that Europe fell into a famine that many historians believe led to the French Revolution). On March 27th, 2010, magma began to bubble from beneath the surface, and by April 14th, ash was starting to billow from the peak.
800 people were evacuated, in fears not of magma, but of equally dangerous glacial floods, which have decimated Icelandic towns in the past. Animals were ordered to be kept inside, and those with respiratory problems told they should also stay indoors.
Air travel across Europe was halted, as, by the evening of April 15th, the ash was already over the UK, Scandinavia, and parts of Germany. Holidaymakers were trapped, waiting for news, and would end up stuck for eight days; in Scotland and Ireland, there were even flights delayed in May due to lingering effects.
Thankfully, no one was injured, although the ash is thought to have caused respiratory issues for some in the south of the country. Many farms were also destroyed by the ash and floods, with some farmers still struggling to recover today.
Since settlement in 874, Eyjafjallajökull has also erupted in 900, 1612, and from 1821 to 1823. The latter released a huge amount of fluoride which is believed to have affected the bone health of humans and animals alike at the time.
Eyjafjallajokull today
Eyjafjallajökull is now entirely safe to visit and is seen on most tours of the South Coast in clear weather. In the town of Hvolsvöllur, there is a visitor’s centre on the volcano, which focuses on the experience of one family whose farm, Þorvaldseyri, was one of the many destroyed by the floods, lava and ash.
It is very unlikely that Eyjafjallajökull will erupt again any time soon, with hundreds of years between each eruption, but as mentioned, its neighbour Katla might start rumbling...
Gígjökull is one of the two glacier outlets of Eyjafjallajökull. The other is Steinholtsjökull.
Eyjafjallajökull is best known for its 2010 eruption. It caused an enormous ash cloud, that not only destroyed the agricultural region around it, but grounded flights across Europe.
For days, and in some cases, weeks, travellers were trapped in foreign airports, waiting for the winds to change. The event dominated international news, causing no end of problems for newsreaders attempting to pronounce it.
The many crater of this eruption was near to Gígjökull. This caused floodwater to surge from under the glacier’s tongue, flooding the Markarfljót river that flows from it.
These glacial bursts are incredibly dangerous and unpredictable results of an eruption under a glacier, and have been known to wash away entire towns and villages. For that reason, Iceland’s South Coast, in areas beneath glaciers such as Gígjökull, is very sparsely populated, and defined by black-sand-plains where they have happened before.
Hvolsvöllur is a small town of 950 people in south Iceland, conveniently located by the Ring Road. It is often travelled through or stopped off in by those exploring the South Coast or encircling the country.
It is very popular as a place to stay in a cabin or bungalow for those who want to be close to the sites of the west and south, such as the Golden Circle, but away from the hustle and bustle of Reykjavík.
Economy and transport
Hvolsvöllur’s main economy is services to the surrounding agricultural area, which has an additional 600 people. It is also a growing place tourism, considering its easy accessibility to Iceland’s capital and some of its major natural sites.
Sitting on the Ring Road means a constant flow of travellers use Hvolsvöllur’s services. It also has a tiny local airport, with flights to the Westman Islands.
Museum
The area around Hvolsvöllur features prominently in one of the most famous Icelandic sagas, Njál’s saga. These sagas were epic works of fiction, which encapsulated much of the history (and folklore) of Iceland in its early era.
Njál’s saga is often thought of as one of the best, as many believe it to have been written by legendary historian and poet, Snorri Sturluson.
There is an excellent Icelandic Saga Centre in the town that those who love literature and history should not miss checking out.
‘The Exhibition of Njál’ is the first of its two exhibitions, introducing guests to the characters of the sagas, along with the Viking cosmology and the literary arts that have existed in Iceland for centuries.
The other is on the history of trade, commerce and the cooperative movement in the 20th century. While this may not seem fascinating, Iceland’s journey through this time is actually quite a riveting story.
In the early 1900s, the country had little changed since the medieval era. People still scraped a living off fishing and farming, lived in turf houses or, if they were extremely poor, caves, and had very little industry or infrastructure. The nation was still under the Danish Crown, with little to no contact with the outside world.
Fast-forward to 1999, and Iceland was already the developed country it is today, leading the world on issues such as gender equality, technological prowess, social fairness and civil rights.
You can also view a model of Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, founded at Þingvellir in 930 AD here.
Hvolsvöllur also has homed the Lava Centre since 2017, an interactive museum where visitors can learn about the earthquakes and volcanoes that shape this country.
There is also a nice gallery in town, and a good restaurant in the Saga Hall, a replica of a medieval longhouse.
Nearby attractions
Hvolsvöllur has a number of interesting hiking routes in its vicinity. Among interesting sights is the large and peculiar rock Drangurinn by the farm Drangshlíð, under the Eyjafjöll mountains.
Hvolsvöllur is also a short drive from many other interesting attractions, among them some of Iceland’s most famous. One of Iceland’s oldest swimming pools, Seljavallalaug, is about 44 kilometres (27 miles) from the town. At a 14 kilometre (nine mile) distance is the rural area of Fljótshlíð and the farm Hlíðarendi. According to Njal's Saga, its hero, Gunnar, lived there.
There is good trout and salmon fishing in the nearby rivers. Several interesting caves, both natural and man-made are in driving distance from Hvolsvöllur.
There is also a number of beautiful waterfalls not far off, the most well known being Seljalandsfoss, which you can walk behind, and Skógafoss, one of Iceland’s highest and most beautiful falls.
Of course, as mentioned, the town is also a perfect launching point from which to explore the Golden Circle, which consists of the Geysir Geothermal Area, Gullfoss Waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park.
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