The highlands

At the foot of Herðubreið are the Herðubreiðarlindir Springs, a spot with magnificent views and diverse natural attributes – which is probably why so many people consider this to be one of the most beautiful places in the country’s wilderness. The road to Herðubreiðarlindir is only passable in summer.

The “hub” of the Kjolur Route, is a geothermal area of fumaroles, and multicoloured hot pools. There are two mountain huts with kitchen facilities and a nice hot pool just outside the hut.

Askja is a 50 km2 caldera in the Dyngjufjoll mountains. The mountains emerged in eruptions under an Ice Age glacier cap. Askja itself was formed, for the most part, at the end of the Ice Age in a major ash eruption which caused the roof of the magma chamber at the heart of the central volcano to subside. Askja is a part of Vatnajökull National Park. The caldera contains several volcanoes, including Víti (explosive volcanic crater). Water has accumulated in the crater,  its temperature is variable - it is around 30°C on average. Víti is a popular bathing site, but if you intend taking a dip, please be aware that the sloping path is very slippery in wet weather. The road to Askja goes from road 1 to road 901 and onto mountain road F905. Onward to F910 to Drekagil. On this route there are two fords to cross, usually small. From Drekagil goes mountain road F894 (8 km) to the car park at Vikraborgir.Another option is to go from road 1 to mountain road F88 via Herðubreiðarlindir to Drekagil. On this road ther are fords on the rivers Grafarlandsá and Lindá that need to be crossed. The fords can be difficult or even impassable for small jeeps.

Bárðarbunga, is a stratovolcano located under Vatnajökull, Iceland's most extensive glacier. The second highest mountain in Iceland, 2,009 metres (6,591 ft) above sea level, Bárðarbunga is also part of a volcanic system that is approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) long and 25 kilometres (16 mi) wide.

At an altitude of 469 m, Möðrudalur farm lies higher than any other Icelandic farm. The remarkable, tiny church was built by the farmer himself, Jón Stefánsson, in 1949. The tourist services here operate year-round. Various trails have been marked through the area, which prides itself on wide panoramas and amazing silence. The majestic Mount Herðubreið, looming in the near distance, has long been referred to as the Queen of Icelandic Mountains, but its image was further cultivated in the last century by a self-made painter from Möðrudalur farm, Stefán Jónsson (Stórval).  

Mt. Herdubreid on the Oskjuleið Route is a 1682m high table mountain. It is the national mountain of Iceland and often called the “Queen of Icelandic mountains”. There is a hiking trail to the top of the mountain, but due to loose rock it´s difficult and steep.

  An oasis in the barren land between the glacier Hofsjokull and Vatnajokull. The site is about 25km to the west of the best known highland route “Sprengisandur”. On the north-western slopes of the mountain Laugafell, there are geothermal hot springs bubbling and three mountain huts open in summer, with kitchen facilities and a nice geothermal nature pool outside.

The Kverkfjöll mountain range, Iceland's third highest mountain group, is a cluster of peaks formed by a large central volcano on the northern edge of the ice cap.One of Iceland's most active high-temperature geothermal areas is located in the western Kverkfjöll Mountains. Its existence is due to a fault scarp. An area of hot springs 3 km long and nearly 1km wide can be found at an altitude of 1600-1700 m. More information about the National Park is at the webpage: www.vatnajokullnationalpark.is

“Eagle Lake moors” is a larg green, lake-studded landscape in the highland, south of Húnaflói. The area extends for 80km or so south to the glaciers of Eiriksjokul and Langjokul. It´s a popular trout fishing venue in a wild, lonely nature. 4WD track.