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By Root 1649 0

a McDonald’s for many a mile. Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Here there are practically no services, accommodation, hot-dog stands, bridges, mobile-phone signals or guarantees if something goes wrong. Gazing across the expanses, you could imagine yourself in Mongolia or the Australian Outback or, as many people have noted, on the moon. And those aren’t overactive imaginations at work – the Apollo astronauts actually trained here before their lunar landing!

This isolation, in essence, is the reason that people visit. Although some travellers are disappointed by the interior’s ultrableakness, others are humbled by the sublime sight of nature in its rawest, barest form. The solitude is exhilarating, the views are vast, and it’s immensely tough but equally rewarding to hike or bike these cross-country routes.

Historically, people used the trails as summer short cuts between north and south, if with heavy hearts. Myths of ghosts and fearsome outlaws spurred travellers along the tracks with all speed. Today it’s probably wiser to worry about the weather. Conditions can be fickle and snow isn’t uncommon, even in mid-summer. Good warm clothing, and face and eye protection from gritty, wind-driven sand are particularly important. Road-opening dates given in this chapter depend on weather conditions – check www.vegagerdin.is for the latest information.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Hike across the Oreo-cookie-like lava field at blustery Askja, then take a dip in the tepid turquoise waters of the Víti crater nearby

Marvel at icy sculptures hidden in the geothermal caves at Kverkfjöll

Pay homage to the Queen of the Mountains, Herðubreið

Pity the melancholy ghosts and outlaws on Iceland’s longest, loneliest north–south track, the godforsaken Sprengisandur route

Spice up the endless vistas of desolation with stops at hot springs and climbable crags along the notorious Kjölur route

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Sleeping

Almost all mountain huts in Iceland are operated by Ferðafélag Íslands (Iceland’s Touring Association; Map; 568 2533; www.fi.is; Mörkin 6, IS-108 Reykjavík). Ferðafélag Akureyrar (Touring Club of Akureyri; Map Click here; 462 2720; www.ffa.est.is; Strandgata 23, Akureyri) operates all the mountain huts and most campsites along the Askja Way. It’s wise to reserve accommodation in advance, as huts are usually booked out in summer. For more details about mountain-hut accommodation, Click here.

Getting Around

Before you embark on your journey through the highlands it is important to take note of a few items. Most of the routes described in this chapter are strictly for high-clearance 4WD vehicles, as jagged terrain and treacherous river crossings are not uncommon (Click here for more info). It’s recommended that vehicles travel in pairs, so if one gets bogged or breaks down, the other can drag it out, fetch help or transport all passengers to shelter. There are very few petrol stations in the highlands – you should fill up on petrol and supplies whenever you find one.

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KJÖLUR ROUTE (KJALVEGUR)

If you want to sample Iceland’s central deserts but don’t like the idea of dangerous ford crossings, the 200km Kjölur route has had all its rivers bridged. In summer there’s even a scheduled bus that uses it as a ‘shortcut’ between Reykjavík and Akureyri. The bus may be an appealing option at first; however, we’ve received comments from several readers that while the first hour of Outback desolation is riveting, the other nine hours can be snooze-inducing if you aren’t planning to disembark anywhere along the way.

Rte F35 starts just past Gullfoss, passing between two glaciers before emerging near Blönduós on the northwest coast. It reaches its highest point (700m) between the Langjökull and Hofsjökull ice caps, near the mountain Kjalfell.

The Kjölur route usually opens in early June.

SLEEPING

Ferðafélag Íslands ( 568 2533; www.fi.is) maintains 38 cottages across Iceland including all of the huts along the Kjölur route, except for those at Hveravellir, which are run by Hveravellafélag (www.hveravellir.is).