Reykjavík Grapevine - 10.08.2007, Page 26

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Located in the western highlands, Langjökull
is the second largest glacier in Iceland at
1,021 square kilometres. The glacier is a
hotbed of geophysical and hydro-physical
activity: not only does Langjökull act as the
supply source for Þingvallavatn, which is the
largest lake in Iceland, but the northern sec-
tion of the glacier is one of the most volcani-
cally active areas in the world. The Langjökull
volcano and its southern basin (Haukadalur
basin) boast a strong lavaflow, which is prob-
ably responsible for the number of prominent
geysers in the area.
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Langjökull
Just as the Scottish have folklore about the
nightmarish Loch Ness monster who dwells
in the depths of the great Loch Ness, so the
Icelanders have their own haunting sea crea-
ture. “Lagarfljótsormurinn” is a lake monster
according to east Icelandic folklore, who stirs
in the depths of the Lagarfljót lake, near the
eastern hub of Egilsstaðir. A tourist boast by
the same name cruises the lake and features
special tours and on-board banquets. Nearby
is Hallormsstaðarskógur, which is the largest
forest in the nation.
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Lagarfljót
One of the country’s majestic volcanoes,
the caldera Askja has erupted several times
over the last centuries. Surrounded by the
Dyngjufjöll Mountains, Askja is an active vol-
cano, which was declared a natural monu-
ment in 1978. A powerful eruption in 1875
changed the scenery immensely, forming the
large blue lake Öskjuvatn, right in the middle
of the caldera. The 220 metre deep lake is
the deepest one in Iceland. The same explo-
sion created the volcanic crater Víti contain-
ing a geothermal warm lake where bathing
is quite popular. Just beware of the slippery
slopes leading down to the ‘pool’.
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Askja
For anyone eager to experience the country’s
natural beauty, the Þórsmörk Natural Park,
situated in the south, is definitely a must-see.
Hidden between two glaciers, Eyafjallajökull
and Tindafjallajökull, the grassy valley is sur-
rounded by mountains, lagoons, and glacial
rivers and numerous scenic hiking trails can
be enjoyed. Þórsmörk is among the country’s
most touristy spots during the summer, but
nevertheless worth at least a weekend stay.
Several tourist companies organise guided
excursions around the area.
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Þórsmörk
Despite its 2 km by 1 km size (Flatey is actu-
ally the largest in a series of 40 islands that
make up the total area), Flatey is known as
one of the most historically and culturally
rich places in Iceland. The small island town
was once home to one of the oldest mon-
asteries in the country (built in 1172), which
unfortunately no longer stands. Still, Flatey
now boasts a church built in the mid-20th
century – with paintings of the island and its
inhabitants by the famous Catalan painter
Baltasar. Flatey also boasts the smallest li-
brary in Iceland, with the well-known Flatey
Book, which is one of the oldest books in
the country and contains vital informa-
tion about the sagas that cannot be found
elsewhere. The book, which dates back to
the 13th century, was rescued back from
the king of Denmark in 1971. Flatey is also
known for its wealth of Icelandic birdlife
and colourful architecture.
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Set right on the eastern border with the huge
and unquestionably magical Vatnajökull
glacier (the largest glacier in Europe), the
obscure Lónsöræfi is a vast volcanic preser-
vation area of colourful hills, broad rivers,
gushing waterfalls, and lush vegetation that
is unique for Iceland. The area is surrounded
by sharp and snowy peaks on all sides, and
is often treaded by herds of reindeer. For
visitors who dare the unpopular and rugged
terrain, Lónsöræfi offers several cottages for
accommodation. Also nearby is Skafafell, a
cool abandoned farm-campsite right on the
edge of Lónsöræfi.
Lónsöræfi
Because of high velocity interior winds, no
shrubbery is able to grow on the vast and
humbling Sprengisandur. The result is some-
thing of an enormous and moody polar des-
ert stretching 200km from the middle of no-
where in northern Iceland to the middle of
nowhere in southern Iceland. The highlands
in this area are stony and unmarked, with the
Vatnajökull and Hofsjökull glaciers acting as
boundaries. It is a beautiful, desolate place
to visit, and at least one epic song has been
written about crossing it.
Sprengisandur
When the gushing white Hvítá river runs into
a canyon in the southwest, it creates Gullfoss
(or Golden Falls), one of the most popular
tourist attractions in Iceland. The waterfall
has a series of three steps, with each drop
greater than the next. Where the trail meets
the falls, the volumes of the wide Hvítá can
be witnessed plunging about 32 meters into a
relatively obscured canyon. Fortunately, plans
to utilise the fall for energy were dropped a
long time ago. A trip to the spectacular Gull-
foss is generally included with any “Golden
Circle” package.
Gullfoss
At the very top of chicken-shaped nation
that is Iceland, there is the scraggly looking
area that makes up the head. It is called the
West fjords. At the very tip of the West fjords
is one of the harshest areas and most brutal
hikes in the known universe: Hornstrandir. If
you hike the temperamental area, you should
know how to use a compass. The huge strand
of earth offers breathtaking views of Hornvík
bay, and the impossibly sloped bird-cliffs of
Hornbjarg, which also offer an abundance of
Icelandic fauna.
Hornstrandir
Photos by Thorsten Henn
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Flatey
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