Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [105]
Sights & Activities
HEKLA CENTER
The Hekla Center ( 487 8700; adult/child Ikr700/350; 9am-11pm summer), a small exhibition devoted to the volcano, can be seen at Leirubakki farm (Click here).
CLIMBING HEKLA
You can climb Hekla, but remember that it’s still an active volcano. There’s never much warning before eruptions, which are usually indicated by multiple small earthquakes 30 to 80 minutes before it blows! Stick to days when the summit is free from heavy cloud, and carry plenty of water – the volcanic ash makes you thirsty.
There’s a small car park where mountain road F225 branches off Rte 26 (about 18km northeast of Leirubakki, or 45km northeast of Hella). Most hire cars aren’t insured for F roads and will need to be parked here, but it’s a long and dusty walk (16km) to the foot of the volcano (or you could try your luck at hitching).
With a 4WD you can continue along F225 to the bottom of Hekla. From here, a well-marked walking track climbs steadily up to the ridge on the northeastern flank of the mountain and then southwest to the summit crater. Although the peak is often covered in snow, the floor of the crater is still hot. From the bottom of the volcano, the return trip takes about four hours.
SNOWCAR TOURS
In winter you can take a snowcar tour to the summit of Hekla with Toppferðir ( 487 5530, 861 1662; www.mmedia.is/toppbrenna) – call for prices.
Sleeping & Eating
Rjúpnavellir í Landsveit ( 892 0409; http://rjupnavellir.123.is; sb/linen Ikr2400/3500) The closest accommodation to the Rte 26–F225 junction are these two large wooden cabins, with sleeping-bag space for 44 people and cooking facilities. There’s also a five-person hut for hire.
Hótel Leirubakki ( 487 6591; www.leirubakki.is; sites per person Ikr800, sb Ikr4200, s/d without bathroom Ikr10,900/15,200, with bathroom Ikr17,500/20,800) This exceptionally appealing historical farm (18km from the Rte 26–F225 junction) has accommodation for everyone: a quiet campsite by the old churchyard; an 11-room guest house with shared bathrooms and kitchen, and sleeping-bag accommodation in the basement; and a hotel with bright parquet-floored rooms and volcano views. Facilities include hot tubs and a ‘Viking pool’; an information and exhibition centre; horse hire (Ikr4000 per hour) and petrol pump. Its 1st-class restaurant (mains Ikr2700 to Ikr4600) serves trout and lamb prepared in the farm’s smokehouse, from noon to 5pm and 6pm to 9pm daily, June to early September; phone for times rest of the year.
Getting There & Away
From mid-June to mid-September, Reykjavík Excursions ( 580 5400; www.re.is) has a daily bus at 8.30am from Reykjavík to Landmannalaugar, which passes Leirubakki (Ikr3500, 2¼ hours) at 10.45am. The return trip passes Leirubakki at 4.45pm.
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HVOLSVÖLLUR
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The countryside surrounding Hvolsvöllur is soaked with history. Its farms were the setting for the bloody events of Njál’s Saga (see the boxed text, opposite), one of Iceland’s favourites; today, though, the saga sites exist mainly as place names, peaceful grassed-over ruins or modern agricultural buildings.
Hvolsvöllur itself is a small village dominated by a huge petrol station at either end. It’s a jumping-off point for Þórsmörk, and the last place where you can stock up on supplies.
Sögusetrið (see Sights & Activities, below) also doubles as a seasonal tourist information centre.
Sights & Activities
As you might expect, Sögusetrið (Saga Centre; 487 8781; njala@njala.is; Hliðarvegur; adult/under 16yr Ikr700/free; 9am-6pm daily mid-May–mid-Sep, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun mid-Sep–mid-May) is devoted to the events of Njál’s Saga, which took place in the surrounding hills. Written boards explain the most dramatic parts of the story (in Icelandic, English and German). It’s OK if you just want a potted version of the saga, but you’re probably better off reading the real thing (books are on sale in the attached souvenir shop).
The town has a good outdoor swimming pool ( 488 4295; Vallarbraut