Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.07.2019, Side 46

Iceland’s summer solstice is marked
by 24 hours of sun above the horizon,
making it possible to watch the sun
circumnavigate the sky. This year,
solstice lands on June 21st, a Friday,
the perfect day to seek out a ritual to
mark this pagan holiday. Where mid-
summer is celebrated with bonfires in
other Nordic countries, we make ritual
out of a pilgrimage to the natural geo-
thermal fires in the heart of Iceland’s
Kerlingarfjöll mountain range.
Unlike last year’s sixty straight days
of rain, the start of this year’s sum-
mer boasts blue skies, sun, and tem-
peratures in the teens. So much sun,
in fact, that the Icelandic Civil Protec-
tion authorities declared a persistent
drought in the west, warning to take
care with human-made fires. With
precipitous precipitation and fickle
weather the norm, such a dry spell is
cause for concern in the land of ice and
fire.
The farmlands surrounding the
Highlands in the southwest remain
verdant despite the drought. As we
approach the Highlands, the foliage
of southwest Iceland thins to dwarf-
birch scrubland, patches of moss, and
the occasional stronghold of invasive
Alaskan lupin. An early crop of cotton-
grass (“fífa,” in Icelandic, pronounced
“fee-vah”) strains its white tufts in the
breeze, and we break into an adapted
chorus of Little Willie John’s “Fever”:
“Fee-vah! In the morning, fee-vah all
through the night!”
Orange dust balloon
When the last patch of lupin fades
from sight, we know we have officially
entered the volcanic desert of Iceland’s
Highlands. Here, the lack of rain is pal-
pable. Plumes of orange dust balloon
behind every 4x4 driving the Kjölur
trail.
Our ride adapts happily to the rough
gravel F-road, chugging a decent 40-50
kph along the recently improved route.
The road is only open during the sum-
mer months—and even then only to
4x4 vehicles—but often closes during
winter.
Solstice marks time—24-hours of
daylight, the longest day of the year.
We pop arctic thyme foraged fresh
from the desert to taste homonym.
Gods’ garden party
We arrive at Ásgarður—“The Gods’
Garden” in English, and the name of
the old Ásatrú gods’ home. The Ás-
garður valley cradles Kerlingarfjöll’s
mountain resort, where a burbling riv-
er flows past the campsite flanked by
a rhyolite sphinx. The resort has sev-
eral good options for rest, including
the campsite, charming A-frame cha-
lets, and other newer accommodation
buildings. A 45-minute hike up the val-
ley offers a geothermal hot spring for
those seeking a natural bath.
We receive keys to La Plata, a char-
ing and basic cabin overlooking the
valley, its red paint weather-worn by
rough seasons. What it lacks in facili-
ties, it makes up for with views; from
our bedroom windows, we see the gla-
ciers Langjökull to the northwest and
Hofsjökull to the northeast.
The resort bustles with visitors,
including several transient interna-
tional campers. A dozen American
teenagers, aged 13 and 14, finish off
their Moondance Adventures two-
week journey through Iceland with
the midnight sun, plokkfiskur, and a
game of hearts at Kerlingarfjöll. But
the bulk of the visitors have arrived for
a special event—a solstice wedding on
the bank of the Ásgarðsá river.
A solstice ritual
After dinner, with the sun beaming
as though mid-day, we set out for the
geothermal wonders of Kerlingarfjöll.
One of the largest geothermal areas in
Europe, its hot springs and mud pools
are magic incarnate. Rhyolite scree
paints the rolling hills in orange and
yellow hues. It is the ultimate solstice
destination, and we arrive to find its
carefully appointed boardwalks and
Distance from
Reykjavík:
194 km

How to get there:
Routes 36, 365, &
35 (aka Kjölur)
Note: Kjölur is
a gravel road
requiring a 4x4
Acommodation
provided by:
kerlingarfjoll.is
46The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 11— 2019
Heat In The Highlands
A solstice road trip to the hot springs of Kjölur
Words: a rawlings Photos: John Rogers & a rawlings
Travel
“The hot
springs and
mud pools of
Kerlingarfjöll
are magic
incarnate. It’s
the ultimate
solstice
destination.”
The dusty Kjölur F-Road A geothermal (foot) spa
View this QR code
in your phone
camera to visit our
recommended tour
booking site
The gateway to the Highlands