Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [232]
Although part of the interior, we’ve included Fjallabak Nature Reserve and Landmannalaugar in this section. With a mesmerising landscape and superb hiking, this ‘back road’ between the southeast and southwest shouldn’t be missed.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Admire the ever-changing ice sculptures at Jökulsárlón, a bewitching glacial lagoon
Bathe in steaming thermal pools at Landmannalaugar, or rise to the challenge of the Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk hike – one of the world’s great walks
Visit Iceland’s favourite area of Vatnajökull National Park, Skaftafell, an area of green and lovely life amid the vast dead sandar (sand deltas)
Stride up Laki for views of three glaciers…and unbelievable volcanic devastation
Feel like a mountaineer on an easy but exhilarating glacier walk; make it real by scaling Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnúkur; or roar across the Vatnajökull ice cap on a snowmobile
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FJALLABAK NATURE RESERVE
FJALLABAK ROUTE
In summer, the Fjallabak Route (F208) makes a spectacular alternative to the coast road between Hella, in southwest Iceland, and Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Its name translates as ‘Behind the Mountains’, and that’s exactly where it goes.
First, head north from Hella on Rte 26. The F208 begins near the Sigölduvirkjun power plant in the southwest on the Tungnaá river and passes through the scenic Fjallabak Nature Reserve to Landmannalaugar. From there, it continues east past the Kirkjufell marshes and enters Jökuldalur, then travels along a riverbed for 10km before climbing to the Hörðubreið lookout and descending to Eldgjá.
For the next 40km the road is fairly good, but there are a couple of river fords, so conventional vehicles going to Eldgjá from the east may have difficulties when the water is high. At Búland the route joins Rte 208 and emerges at the Ring Road southwest of Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
A non-4WD vehicle wouldn’t have a hope of completing the through route. In summer, if the rivers are low, a conventional vehicle can reach Landmannalaugar from the west (F208 only). Note that rental-car companies prohibit taking 2WD vehicles on any F roads, so if something should go wrong on this route, your insurance will be void.
Since much of the Fjallabak Route is along rivers (or rather, in rivers!), it’s not ideally suited to mountain bikes either. Lots of people attempt it, but it’s not casual cycling by any stretch.
Getting There & Away
From mid-June to August there’s a scheduled Reykjavík Excursions ( 580 5400; www.re.is) bus. It runs daily between Reykjavík and Skaftafell (via Selfoss, Hella, Landmannalaugar, Eldgjá and Kirkjubæjarklaustur), departing at 8.30am from either end. The 11-hour journey costs Ikr11,400 each way – unquestionably worth it.
The bus stops for two hours at lovely Landmannalaugar, but that’s not really long enough for you to explore properly. Most travellers make a proper break here, continuing the journey to Skaftafell at a later date. The section from Reykjavík to Landmannalaugar (5½ hours) costs Ikr6300 each way.
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LANDMANNALAUGAR
Multicoloured mountains, soothing hot springs, rambling lava flows and clear blue lakes make Landmannalaugar unique. It’s a favourite with Icelanders and visitors alike…as long as the weather cooperates! Allow several days to fully explore this area.
Landmannalaugar (600m above sea level) includes the largest geothermal field in Iceland outside the Grímsvötn caldera in Vatnajökull. Its weird peaks are made of rhyolite – a mineral-filled lava that cooled unusually slowly, causing those amazing colours.
Although Landmannalaugar gets quite chilly, the weather is generally more stable than in coastal areas, and when it does rain it’s more of a wind-driven horizontal mist than a drenching downpour.
Information
The Landmannalaugar hut wardens can help with specific questions, including directions and advice on hiking routes. There are also two green buses, which are parked and opened up in summer as a tiny