Sprengisandur: Route F26 or Sprengisandsleið - Iceland

Route F26 or Sprengisandsleið is a highland gravel road in Iceland, running through the Sprengisandur area between the glaciers Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull.With its 200 km, it is the longest of the Icelandic highland roads. Its southern end is at the lake Þórisvatn, to the northeast of the volcano Hekla, and its northern end is the lower part of the valley of the river Skjálfandafljót, to the southwest of lake Mývatn.

Featuring the most desolate terrain found in Iceland, Sprengisandur is the bleak highland desert east between Hofsjökull – the rounded icecap marking Iceland’s geographical centre – and Vatnajökull’s northwestern front.

In earlier times, when people were more superstitious than they are nowadays and believed in ghosts, giants, elves and outlaws, the few who dared use this route rode as fast as possible through and sometimes exhausted their horses. The word for to exhaust in Icelandic is "sprengja", hence the name of the area.

Although providing something of a corridor in Viking times between Iceland’s northeastern settlements and the summer parliament at Þingvellir, crossing Sprengisandur was always a tough journey, the desert flooded in spring with melting snow and ice, yet too dry in summer to provide any grazing for horses. Indeed, most travellers preferred to take much longer coastal roads, and Sprengisandur was eventually abandoned as a route during the thirteenth century.

Traversed today by the F26, which begins northeast of Hekla and runs some 244km to the Ringroad at Goðafoss, the Sprengisandur route remains a challenging one, whose unbridged rivers and stark scenery provide an insight into medieval Iceland’s harsh living conditions. Sprengisandur’s southern gateway is marked by Hekla, north of which is the desolate, icy plateau between Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull.

The enduring image here is of nothingness: the glaciers and mountains that fringe the horizon seem a long way off, and the space in between is filled with mile after mile of grey sand, stones and rocks that have lain untouched for thousands of years.

PLANNING A TRIP

Exploring the Area

Hrauneyjar Highland Center, a year-round highland oasis at the southern terminus of the Sprengisandur Route, has two hotels and restaurants, an information desk, and the last gas station for the next 240km (149 miles). A trail map of the surrounding area is available at reception.

As a base, Hrauneyjar is best for travelers with their own 4WD transport. The Highland Center organizes tours only for groups, and the best local destinations -- such as Veiðivötn lakes, or the lovely Dynkur, a waterfall on the Þjórsá river -- are inaccessible to regular cars.

Veidivötn. Trout fishermen are particularly drawn to this idyllic and peaceful cluster of fifty volcanic crater lakes, located close to Landmannalaugar but accessed through Hrauneyjar on Route F228.

Fishing permits (2,000kr/day/$32/£16) and sleeping-bag accommodation (2,500kr/$40/£20 per person) in four bunk-style cottages are handled by Landmannahellir (tel. 893-8407; www.landmannahellir.is).

Nýidalur. An overnight stay at this remote desert outpost, combined with a day hike east to Vonarskarð pass, makes for a memorable episode along the Sprengisandur Route. Nýidalur is right on Route F26, about 100km (62 miles) from Hrauneyjar and 20km (12 miles) from the northwest corner of Vatnajökull.

Vonarskarð forms a dramatic saddle between Vatnajökull and the small glacier Tungnafellsjökull, and the hiking route skirts some restless geothermal fields. Sudden releases of glacial meltwater can make stream crossings difficult, so speak to the warden before setting out. Those just passing through Nýidalur can still take the short easy hike east to a nearby hill with panoramic views.

By Car

With its rough surfaces and hazardous river fords, Route F26 is only for rugged 4WD vehicles with good clearance. The road's opening date varies, but usually falls at the end of June. The Public Roads Administration (tel. 354-1777; www.vegag.is; May-Oct 8am-4pm; Nov-Apr 8am-5pm) continually monitors road conditions.

It is the longest stretch between the South and the North and is only passable by 4wd vehicles during summer. The obstacles enroute are rivers, which have to be forded and the water can be up to 1 meter or more (specially it's the 1 river crossing 5 km before you reach Nýidalur). For a person that is not an experienced off-road driver, anything smaller than Land Rover/Toyota Land Cruiser is not recommended at all.

They swell when it is warm, the glacial meltwater increases and when it also rains they become dangerous. The scenic beauty makes this route unforgettable.

Warning: Gas is not available on Route F26, and the gas stations at Hrauneyjar and Goðafoss are 240km (149 miles) apart (Unprepared drivers are often seen begging for fuel at Nýidalur).

Hiking

This part of the Interior offers a great variety of possibilities for short or long hikes. In most cases it depends on the individual traveller to decide which hillock or mountain is the best vantage point, or how far to go into the wilderness.

Long hikes require good planning, preparations, and physical fitness. The psychology has to be considered as well.

Sometimes the vast, barren landscapes, and the solitude overwhelme hikers, who are travelling alone and do not meet a soul for days on end.

By Bus

Reykjavík Excursions (tel. 562-1011; www.re.is) connects Landmannalaugar and lake Mývatn via the Sprengisandur Route from July 1 to August 24.

Departures from Mývatn are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:30am, and departures from Landmannalaugar are Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, also at 8:30am.

The full one-way trip lasts 10 hours and costs 8,000kr ($128/£64), with stops at Hrauneyjar, Nýidalur, and Skútustaðir, plus sightseeing breaks at the Aldeyjarfoss and Goðafoss waterfalls.

Passengers taking the bus from Mývatn to Landmannalaugar must wait until the following day for connections to Reykjavík and elsewhere.

Where to sleep

- Hotel Highland (Rte. 26, Hrauneyjar, In the area). Tel. +354 487-7750.

Walking into this high-end hotel and restaurant is a surreal transition from the wild and remote landscape outside. The Highland was a farm accommodation as recently as 2005, and some rooms are still transitioning design-wise, but you won't suffer for sheets with an insufficient thread count.

- Hrauneyjar Highland Center (Rte. 26, Hrauneyjar, In the area). Tel. +354 487-7782.

This hotel is adjoined to Hrauneyjar's gas station and information desk, and the Reykjavík Excursions bus through Sprengisandur stops here. The rooms are spartan but comfortable, and, if you've just come through the desert interior, the whole place is Shangri-La. Confusingly, 17 of the rooms -- which share a guest kitchen -- and the four apartments are located next to Hotel Highland but classified with the Highland Center.

Visitor Information

No specific tourist information office is assigned to the Sprengisandur Route, but regional offices in Hveragerði, Varmahlíð, Akureyri, and Mývatn can provide help.

The Hrauneyjar Highland Center (tel. 487-7782; www.hrauneyjar.is) is a useful resource, and the warden at Nýidalur (tel. 854-1194; July-Aug) -- while not responsible for helping non-guests -- is usually happy to answer questions.

Johanna & Sindri, Iceland24
April 2015

Fishing in Iceland

Iceland, the land of fire and ice, is home to some of the best Atlantic salmon and game fishing in the world. In 2008 it had its best salmon fishing season for many years.

With crystal-clear, well-managed rivers and breathtaking scenery, it is no surprise that for generations, anglers have come to (and subsequently fallen in love with) Iceland. Fishing for salmon, sea trout, trout and Arctic char under the midnight sun is an experience no angler will ever forget.

The island landscape varies from barren lava fields and glacial plateaus to verdant farmland and provides a wealth of non-fishing activites for the family to enjoy whilst you fish.

Iceland is only a three hour flight from the UK and five hours from the East Coast of America with several airlines providing plenty of options.

About Icelandic rivers  

HISTORY

People have been fishing for salmon in Iceland since the Dark Ages. In those days most of the fishing was done by dragnets, but no one can say for sure whether rod and line was used also.

In the late 1800s the landed gentry of the UK started to arrive and fish for salmon, primarily in the south and west areas of the island. A few even purchased the riparian rights to the fishing.

This traffic petered out after the Great War and did not reach the same numbers until the 1960s when Iceland again became a mecca for anglers, this time from America and now more recently from Europe.

CLEAR WATERS

One of the beauties of fishing in Iceland is the clarity of the water. Many rivers run gin-clear and on many of the smaller streams it is possible to perch on the bank and watch salmon in their environment.

This not only allows the angler to get a better understanding of where salmon lie and why, but also gives anglers fishing in a group an opportunity to try "sight" fishing for salmon where a partner on the bank can direct the angler as to where and when to cast his fly. A popular method of doing this is to skate riffle hitched flies and micro-tubes across the surface and watch the salmon follow and take this fly in an explosion of water.

RIVER TYPES

Whilst most of the rivers in Iceland hold naturally occuring salmon a few such as the East and West Ranga are supplemented by a smolt rearing and release programme. These programmes have turned some of the minor salmon rivers into rivers to be reckoned with. The East and West Ranga for instance accounted for over 21,000 salmon in the 2008 season.

BOOKINGS

Fishing in Iceland is either sold as 'whole day' permits or the permits are sold using the term 'afternoon to noon' (sometimes called 'noon to noon', but meaning the same).

With 'whole day' permits, fishing simply starts in the morning of the first day purchased and terminates in the evening of the last day purchased. However, with 'afternoon to noon' permits the fishing starts in the afternoon of the first day purchased and terminates at 12:00 noon on the day after the last day purchased.

Information about the fishing

Fishpal is able to provide salmon beats and trout fishing enabling an increasing number of people to enjoy this wonderful sport.

You can read about each river, see its current fishing availability and book fishing permits online or by telephone.

Check in this website: http://www.fishpal.com

Johanna, Iceland24
April 2015

Hiking routes in Skaftafell National Park Iceland

Following are suggestions for a few of the more popular hiking routes in Skaftafell. Whenever possible the suggestion is a circular route. Please note that these are only suggestions; in most cases it is possible to use alternative paths, return the same way, do a reverse circle etc. Also note that distance and walking times are for reference only.

Hiking maps for Skaftafell are available in visitor centres, information offices and from park rangers. You can also use the ones here on the right; click on each picture for enlarged version.

Skaftafellsjökull (Skaftafell glacier) 
Distance: 2 km (4 km round-trip) 
Walking time: 1½ hrs. 
Route difficulty: 1 (easy) 

A paved path goes from Skaftafell Visitor Centre towards Skaftafell glacier. From the end of the paved section a gravel path leads to a point where there is a good view towards this impressive outlet glacier and its roots in Vatnajökull ice cap.

After enjoying the view you should walk back the same gravel path and then take another gravel path on the left which will lead you to Skaftafell Visitor Centre.

Svartifoss ('Black waterfall') 
Distance: 2 km (4 km round-trip) 
Walking time: 2 hrs. 
Route difficulty: 1 (easy) 

After walking 250 meters from the visitor centre through the campsite take you slightly upwards into the mountain heath in Skaftafell (elevation is 140 meters in 1.5 kilometers). From that point the path will take you down into the ravine below the waterfall).

After enjoying the waterfall and its surroundings you should walk up the basalt column steps on the other side of the ravine and follow that path all the way down to the campsite via Lambhagi. When visibility is good It is recommended to do a little extra loop to the viewpoint at Sjónarnípa on the way down.

Kristínartindar ('Kristín's mountain peaks') 
Distance: 16 km 
Walking time: 7 hrs. 
Route difficulty: 3 (difficult) 

The route to Kristínartindar goes from Skaftafell Visitor Centre through the campsite and up into the mountain heath as if you were going to Svartifoss. It is possible to go all the way to Svartifoss and then head on to Sjónarsker, but the shortest way is to cross the river on the walking bridge next to Magnúsarfoss and from there head to Sjónarsker. From Sjónarsker the path goes all the way towards Kristínartindar. When arriving at the foot of Kristínartindar you have two options.

The easy one is to walk the path around the mountain peaks where you will come onto the walking route again. The other option is to walk the path that goes through the rock scree all the way to the top of the mountain. For that hike it is strongly recommended that you have good boots and trekking poles. To go down you return the same way as you came up, with the exception of that when you arrive at the shoulder between the mountain peaks you take the path that goes to the left.

That path will take down towards Gláma where the paths meet again. From Gláma the path takes you down to Sjónarnípa and then onwards to the visitor centre/camp site via Austurbrekkur.

Sjónarnípa (a viewpoint) 
Distance: 3,5 km (6,5 km round-trip) 
Walking time: 2 hrs. 
Route difficulty: 2 (challenging) 

From the camp site walk up towards Svartifoss. Skip the first signpost for Sjónarnípa. After 450 meters another 'Sjónarnípa signpost' appears. Choose that path towards Sjónarnípa. Then continue back towards the camp site via Austurbrekkur. Even better option is to skip the second signpost also and choose the third one which is located right before Svartifoss.

Morsárjökull (Morsá glacier) 
Distance: 10 km (20 km round-trip) 
Walking time: 6 hrs. 
Route difficulty: 2 (challenging) 

The route goes from the camp site in Skaftafell across the mountain heath to Grjóthóll in Morsárdalur. A marked path goes from Grjóthóll towards Morsárjökull and the glacial lagoon in front of it. On the return you take the same path towards Grjóthóll and continue across the walking bridge on Morsá river.

You then continue on the trail next to the river all the way down to another walking bridge by Götugil. Walk over the bridge on follow the marked path that leads to the camp site.

Bæjarstaðarskógur ('Farmstead woods') 
Distance: 7,2 km (15 km round-trip) 
Walking time: 5 hrs. 
Route difficulty: 2 (challenging) 

The route goes from the camp site in Skaftafell across the mountain heath to Grjóthóll in Morsárdalur. A marked path goes from Grjóthóll towards Morsárjökull. From Grjóthóll continue across the walking bridge over Morsá river and straight on the marked path that leads to the woods in Baejarstaðarskógur.

The path continues through the woods and past two beautiful ravines that are worth a closer look. After passing the ravines it is relatively easy to walk across the sands back towards Skaftafell. There is no marked path on this route but aim for the lower end of the Skaftafellsheiði mountain heath and you should arrive at the walking bridge by Götugil. Walk over the bridge on follow the marked path that leads to the camp site. If you are not comfortable with crossing the unmarked sands you can return the same way as you came.

Kjós ('Dell') 
Distance: 12 km (24 km round-trip) 
Walking time: 8 hrs. 
Route difficulty: 2 (challenging) 

The route goes from the camp site in Skaftafell across the mountain heath to Grjóthóll in Morsárdalur. A marked path goes from Grjóthóll towards Morsárjökull. From Grjóthóll continue across the walking bridge over Morsá river and straight on the marked path that leads to the woods in Baejarstaðarskógur. Then instead of walking into the woods you should turn right and walk on the gravel bank of Kjósarlaekur.

Please note that there is no proper path or way marking. Continue until you arrive in Kjós. The same route will take you back towards Grjóthóll but instead of crossing the bridge you should continue on the trail next to the river all the way down to another walking bridge by Götugil. Cross the bridge on follow the marked path that leads to the camp site.

Getting there

By car: Road 1 goes from Reykjavík to Skaftafell (326 km). Road 998 (2 km) leads up to the visitor centre in Skaftafell. Road 1 continues to the east from Skaftafell. The distance to Höfn is 136 km and the distance to the Glacial Lagoon is 56 km.

By bus: A scheduled bus goes between Reykjavík and Höfn via Skaftafell. For further information check this website: www.straeto.is


Restaurants / food stores 

A cafeteria is operated in Skaftafell during the summer. It offers hot soups, sandwiches, cakes and coffee, along with some basic dairy products, bread, biscuits and fruits, to mention some.

A restaurant can be found in Freysnes which is 5 km to the east from Skaftafell (opposite Hotel Skaftafell). It is operated all year round and also has a small-scale food store. A larger grocery store is in Kirkjubæjarklaustur (70 km to west) and yet another one in Höfn (136 km to east).

Accommodation 

Information on accommodation near Skaftafell can be found on the website of the regional tourism organisation.

Skaftafell campground

The campground in Skaftafell is in full service from 1 May to 30 September. Guests are permitted to camp outside the service season but must take notice of limited services. Guests should contact the service desk at the visitor centre prior to camping.

Late arrivers should make contact first thing in the morning. Vatnajökull National Park does not offer any equipment rental.

Tel: +354 4708300
 e-mail: skaftafell@vjp.is

Source: Vatnajökull National Park
Iceland24, April 2015