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The Icelandic Highlands cover the major part of the country and many of Iceland’s main natural attractions can be found there. Away from crowds, noise and bustle, the Highlands offer unique silence, serenity, peace and extreme natural beauty.
The Central Highlands
The Central Highlands cover a vast area, all at an altitude of over 500 meters, with numerous mountains reaching a height between 1000 and 2000 meters. Most of these higher mountains are covered by glaciers. Two of the highest mountains in the country (over 2000 m high) are located in Vatnajökull, namely Hvannadalshnúkur (2109 m, located in south Vatnajökull) and Bárðarbunga, a subglacial volcano in northwest Vatnajökull (2000 m).
Three of the largest glaciers in Iceland are located in the Central Highlands. These are Vatnajökull in the southeast (Europe’s largest glacier), Hofsjökull in the centre of Iceland and Langjökull, west of Hofsjökull.
Various highlands paths lie between the glaciers, open for cars around June/July. One of the major ones are Kjölur, connecting south and north Iceland (the road is located between Hofsjökull and Langjökull). Sprengisandur, is another important path, connecting south and north, and located between Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull.
Kaldidalur is a highland path stretching west of Langjökull, from Þingvellir towards the Borgarfjörður district. It then continues further north as Stórisandur.
Remember always that the natural environment that makes up Iceland's Highlands is as delicate as it is enchanting. The slightest damage inflicted upon small areas can cause erosion and irreversible landscape wounds that can easily spread over large areas. When travelling in the Highlands, therefore, visitors must at all times uphold responsible travel etiquette. Driving off roads and designated paths is strictly forbidden and punishable by heavy fines.
The South Highlands
Almost all the mountains south of the glaciers are tuff mountains. They were formed during the Ice Age, as well as the area north of Vatnajokull. Volcanic activity is confined to tuff areas of the country and in the southern Highlands are some of its most active and famous volcanoes, Hekla, Eyjafjallajökull and Katla in Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s fourth largest glacier.
Northeast, Central-North and Northwest Highlands
To the northeast are the Lakagígar Craters and in Vatnajökull there are Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga along with Öræfajokull. North of Vatnajökull, the best-known volcanoes are Askja and Krafla.
The northwest and central-north Highlands consist of ancient basalt formations and it is the same for the mountains of the Eastfjords.
Highland Oases
There are a few oases in the highlands that have unique vegetation and wildlife. The most important of these are Þjórsárver, Nýidalur/Jökuldalur, Herðubreiðarlindir and Eyjabakkar. The pink-footed goose has its main nesting places at Þjórsárver and Eyjabakkar. Þjórsárver was designated as a Ramsar site in 1990. Reindeers reside in the east Highlands.
The Landmannalaugar are geothermal nature baths and a popular attraction one should not miss. Located in the South Highlands of Iceland, the area is renowned for its stunning beauty.
Along with its vegetation and baths, the area is notable for its spectacular rock formations, multicolored rhyolite mountains and expansive lava fields; two popular mountains being Blahnjukur (‘Blue Peak’) and Brennisteinsalda (‘Sulphur wave’).
It is also the usual starting point for the four day long hiking trail Laugavegur (not to be confused with Laugavegur, Reykjavik’s main shopping street), which leads to Thorsmork valley.
The Laugavegur trail is the most popular hiking trail in Iceland.
The stratovolcano Hekla in the south of Iceland is undoubtedly one of the island's most famous and active volcanoes, with over 20 eruptions since settlement.
Hekla is part of a 40 kilometers long volcanic ridge but the most active part is the fissure Heklugja, considered the volcano proper. Hekla has produced one of the largest amounts of lava of any volcano in the world. Last time Hekla erupted was in 2000.
In the Middle Ages Hekla was considered to be the gateway to Hell, and it continues to inspire. It’s referenced in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, poet and artist William Blake banishes Winter to Hekla in his poem Winter and Icelandic composer Jon Leifs, inspired by Hekla’s power, composed one of the loudest pieces of classical music ever, Hekla Op 52.
Travelers from all over seek out Hekla and it is a popular hiking place. In addition to hiking you can ski there in the spring, summer offers easy mountaineering routes and you can snowmobile to the top in winter.
Ljótipollur is an explosion crater and crater lake in the south Highlands. Its name means ‘Ugly Puddle’, despite the fact it is an incredibly beautiful site. It is part of the Veiðavötn volcanic area.
Ljótipollur is located in the southern highlands, in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve. It is most easily reached by those who go to Landmannalaugar, and take the four-hour hike to it and back.
Landmannalaugar is a highland oasis, open throughout the summer months, with colourful rhyolite mountains and hot springs. It is a hiker’s paradise, marking one end of the Laugavegur trail that ends in Þórsmörk. Though this journey takes four days, Ljótipollur is a perfect example of a hike within Landmannalaugar that can be done within hours.
Those in Landmannalaugar who wish to take a shorter hike should take those to Mount Brennisteinsalda or Mount Bláhnúkur.
Ljótipollur is a beautiful feature, with blue waters, green vegetations growing up and down its slopes, and vividly coloured red lava rock surrounding it.
Wikimedia, Creative Commons, Photo Credit: Bromr
Hjálparfoss is a waterfall (or, officially, a pair of waterfalls that conjoin) in south Iceland.
Description of Hjlálparfoss
Hjlálparfoss is an incredibly serene feature, marking where the rivers Fossá and Þjórsá meet. Both of these are renowned as some of Iceland’s best and easily accessible fishing rivers, while Þjórsá also takes the title of being the country’s longest.
The two rivers fall from a lava field at about a 45 degree angle from each other, from about the same height, and their cascades merge as they tumble into a serene pool.
The lava field that this feature falls from was created in one of the many eruptions of the nearby Hekla volcano. Hekla is one of Iceland’s most active, unpredictable and explosive volcanoes, so violent that in the Middle Ages it earned the nickname ‘the Gateway to Hell’.
Hjálparfoss is but one of the many waterfalls in this area. Nearby, one can also find Þjófafoss, which flows from the Þjórsá river, and Háifoss, one of the tallest waterfalls in the country.
The water that flows from Hjálparfoss feeds the country’s second largest hydroelectric dam, which sits just a little downstream.
Getting to Hjálparfoss
Hjálparfoss is easy to get to, being just 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the village of Flúðir, famous for being home to the ethereal Secret Lagoon.
To reach it from Reykjavík, travel along the Ring Road heading south, before turning left onto Route 30. Turn right onto Route 32, which is a gravel road, and Hjálparfoss will be on your right as you get towards the end of the road.
Hjálparfoss is close to other popular locations, such as the aforementioned waterfalls and lagoon, and the famous sites of the Golden Circle. It is more than possible to comfortably visit it alongside Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss waterfall within a day.
