Travel the South Central

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Travel the South Central

The gateway to Iceland’s magnificent South Central lies inland of Rte. 1 beyond the villages of Hveragerði and Selfoss. Presiding over the area is Mt. Hekla, one of the country’s most destructive volcanoes and the location of Þjórsárhraun – a lava-flow believed to be the world’s most voluminous since the end of the last Ice-age. Here, the rivers Hvítá, Rangá and the mighty Þjórsá – Iceland’s longest river - feed impressive stretches of fertile land. Being only an hour’s drive from Reykjavík, the area is ideally suited for day-trippers wanting to experience the diversities of Icelandic nature and its dramatic contrasts of color and composition.

Hveragerði to Selfoss

The town of Hveragerði is distinctive for its clusters of illuminated and heated greenhouses, a place where savvy residents have been harnessing the power of geothermal energy since 1920. As a result they’ve been able to cultivate a diversity of fruits and vegetables, with exotic varieties as unlikely as papayas and bananas thriving.

The main visitor information center for the southern region is located in Hveragerði. Their offices are well supplied with tourist information and maps, and as a special treat for geology buffs, there’s also an interesting exhibition on the powerful earthquake that shook the town violently in May 2008. In case you’ve ever wondered what an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale feels like (and you’re not scared of the dark), you can try out their on-site simulator and find out! Sunnumörk 2-4 – south.is

Hengill. The rising heights above Hveragerði are riddled with trails and smoking hot springs, and for those who appreciate a more comfortable and less time-consuming hike, with the added bonus of a geothermal swimming-spot at destination’s end, then Hengill is the perfect detour (or pre-tour) for explorers of the South Central. It might not be as dramatic or as strenuous as the famous highland trekking routes of Laugarvegur or Fimmvörðuháls but a 1 hour hike to the smoky valley of Reykjadalur in the Hengill area, is nevertheless a rewarding escapade. If you’re one of those ambitious people

who just don’t like turning back, you can continue on the trail all the way to Þingvallavatn in a day. Main access to the trail, called Rjúpnabrekkur (Ptarmigan slopes) is via Breiðumörk - the main street through Hveragerði – heading north. Selfoss. Selfoss is a great place to stop for a bite to eat at one of its local restaurants, stock up on supplies, and refuel before heading on your way. The most noteworthy feature is the suspension bridge built in 1945 across the voluminous Ölfusá. It was built in a hurry to replace an older bridge constructed in 1891, which collapsed when two milk trucks crossed over the bridge at the same time.

Along route 32

Þjórsárdalur or Bull-river valley was once a fertile settlement; but is now a rare relic of Viking times preserved. The highlights of the Þjórsárdalur valley are numerous, with sharply contrasting landscapes of birch woods, rivers and a collection of celebrated waterfalls; the area is framed by shelf-top mountains and floored with an ancient sandy lava-field. Following the course of the mighty Þjórsá river leads to unexpected places of beauty and splendour. The road to the wonders of Þjórsárdalur valley can be found 15km or so from Selfoss on Rte. 30, which branches in a north-easterly direction away from Rte. 1 following the west bank of the Þjórsá river further inland. A right turn onto Rte. 32 extends towards the valley and through the tiny hamlet of Arnes. Just past here at Hagafjall, a roadside stop with wonderful views of Hekla beckon those with a camera-eye to take a snapshot. Further highlights of the area follow a circular route up the north side of the river heading east along Rte. 32 and then back down on Rt.26 heading southwest towards the main ring road Rte. 1.

GEOLOGICAL INSIGHT Þjórsárhraun is an ancient lava sheet covering the floor of the Þjórsárdalur valley sourced by a massive fissure eruption south-west of the Gjáfjöll mountains around 8,000 years ago. According to geologists, the fast-flowing lava stretched out from the 20-30km / 12-20 mile wide fissure over a distance of 140km / 86 miles - all the way to the sea. It is said to be the greatest lava-flow sourced from a single eruption since the ice age.

Gaukshöfði. At the entrance to the Þjórsárdalur valley between Arnes and Hjálparfoss, you can stop for a short climb to the top of Gaukshöfði, a rocky crag with the mighty river at its foot and splendid views of Hekla. If the weather permits, it’s also a great place for a picnic! Hjálparfoss. A brief 1 km detour on a gravel road off Rte. 32 brings you to Hjálparfoss - a rather striking waterfall that bursts through of a breadth of twisted basalt columns into a dual torrent. It’s well worth a quick visit for snap-shots of its picturesque features. Watch out for a curious basalt bear, forever on the lookout, amongst the other extraordinary rock formations.

A little further along Rte. 32 is the gravel road Rte. 327 to Stöng, where the excavated ruins of a 12th century Viking-age farmhouse can be found in a fair state of preservation. Before the devastating eruption of Hekla in 1104, the area was a thriving settlement with as many as 20 farms. Maps of the original layouts showing the living quarters etc. are displayed on information panels on site. Before you return to Rte. 32 for Þjóðveldisbær (Commonwealth Farm) - the reconstructed settlement based on information discovered at the site - a little bit of heaven can be found at Gjáin where wild flowers and unique rock formations frame a lush ravine, complete with babbling brooks, waterfalls and populated with harlequin ducks. A well-worn trail leads away from the ruins of Stöng to this delightful little detour. Háifoss. If you’re not put off by an 8km / 5 mile hike, Háifoss is another highlight of the area and well worth a visit. Standing at a spectacular height of 120m (394ft), this is Iceland’s third highest waterfall. It’s hard not to be impressed by the slender torrent as it plummets thunderously into a sheer-walled gorge. The turnoff for this location is around 10km further along Rt 327/332.

Hekla and Around

Continuing upstream beyond Búrfell on Rte. 32 the road crosses the Þjórsá river and ends around 15km later at the junction with Rte. 26. Unless you’re well prepared for a lengthy detour to Landmannalaugur turn right and head southwest on Rte. 26 towards the region of Hekla. This road takes you through a wilderness of lunar-like landscapes and dramatic environments where thick layers of ash and lava are peppered with yellow pumice from past eruptions. Continuing on this route returns you to Rte. 1 via Hekla and the Landsveit district. Mt. Hekla. Before the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, formidable Mt. Hekla was the star volcano of Iceland, with a record of 18 eruptions taking place within the last millennium. The earliest known eruption struck in 1104 burying and partly preserving the Viking settlement at Stöng. Instead of a classical volcano cone, Hekla is part of a rather squat series of ridges, usually hidden behind a thick bank of clouds earning it the menacing name ‘the hooded one’. The silent snow, crested on the mountain’s protracted peak, seems to pacify its molten heart, which has poured out once every ten years since 1970. The last eruption started on 26th February in 2000 and lasted for 12 days. For a closer encounter with Hekla continue along Rte. 26 until you reach a waterfall on the right named Tröllkonahlaup (Troll-wife’s Leap). The road here takes you as close to the base of the mountain as possible, that is unless you’re up for a challenging climb.

Climbing Hekla

For many years people lived in fear of climbing this 1,491m (4891 ft) beautiful beast of a mountain, mainly because of its medieval reputation as being the gateway to Hell. After each eruption the mountain tends to go on grumbling for a while - sometimes for months. This was interpreted in medieval times as the ‘anguished voices of tormented souls’ consequently adding impetus to the myth. In-spite of its fearsome reputation a couple of brave-hearted young Icelanders, named Eggert Ólafsson and Bjarni Pálsson, clambered up and surmounted the beast in 1750. If you are planning a climb to the top of this mountain then it’s advisable to come well prepared and also be familiar with emergency procedures in case of sudden weather changes and eruptions. The brochure Eruption Emergency Guidelines is widely available in tourist information centers. If you’re aiming for the summit, the trail-head starts off from the F225 road to Landmannalaugur. The climb itself takes at least 7 hours, 4 hours up, and 3 hours down. Ask at the Hekla Center (leirubakki.is) for good advice and a detailed map.

TROLL ALERT in the shadow of Mt. Hekla on the southeast side of the Þjórsá valley you’ll find the waterfall Tröllkonahlaup, where torrents of fresh water cascade down between protruding rocks. According to folklore, the troll-wife of Búrfell placed the rocks as stepping-stones across the river so that she could visit her sister on the other side without getting her feet wet. In another folk-tale a local farmer named Gissur from the nearby Landsveit district had a close encounter with one of the sisters, who was said to be feeling peckish for man-flesh. The troll-ladies weren’t completely uncultured though, as one was apparently overheard asking her sister for a pot to cook him in!

Þjófafoss. This wide waterfall with a low drop is known as ‘the thief’s fall’. Framed admirably in the background by Mt. Búrfell, it provides a welcome splash of color in the anaemic surroundings. The name of the waterfall gives away its gruesome history of drowning thieves for their dishonest deeds. The bumpy gravel road to this attraction branches off Rte. 26 a short distance from Tröllkonahlaup.

The Hekla Center – Heklusetur.

On the western edge of Hekla, further southwest on Rte. 26 an informative exhibition can be found at Leirubakki – a local farm, hotel and shop. The exhibition brings past seismic events to life with video footage, presenting a collective history of the active mountain. It’s open daily between 10:00 - 21:00. Hekla Center – Leirubakka – 851 Hellu. leirubakki.is

Leirubakki.

Apart from the engaging exhibition at the Hekla Centre, this local farm has grown substantially and offers a rather impressive range of services

and facilities including a fuel-station, a restaurant and a hotel - with an outdoor swimming pool and hot tubs to boot. They also provide activity tours in case you’d like to explore the area on horseback or go fishing in the nearby Ytri-Rangá – a beautiful spring-fed salmon river in the Hekla region.

GOING FOR GREEN after Hekla’s numerous historic eruptions, significant areas of the valley’s lush greens were suffocated underneath thick layers of ash. In recent years both the forestry service and energy authorities have combined forces to protect the remaining vegetation and have made a sustained effort, by planting thousands of trees, to re-green the valley.

From Hella to Hvolsvöllur

Back on Rte. 1 a short journey southeast takes you through some rather pleasant green pastures to the agricultural village of Hella –a small community with modest services. It’s home of the horse aficionados and hence the reason you may find yourself driving slowly behind a four-wheel-drive with box in tow, looking at a horses backside! This sparsely populated town is also the gateway to Njál’s Saga country and historically know for its connection to the Sagas. With a small service center and beautiful scenery, crowned in the background by Mt. Hekla, it’s a great place to make a quick pause before heading on to the historic sites of the saga trail. Þingskálir.

A thousand years ago in Njál’s time the annual assembly of the Rangarvellir district met at this ancient site just east of the Ytri-Ranga, river (off Rte. 268). Though barely visible, the remains of at least 37 temporary Viking dwellings have been discovered. A more sinister attraction called the Sacrifice Stone can be found a short distance away near a significant looking mound. This large boulder was apparently used as a slaughtering site for executing criminals.

Keldur.

Keldur now operates as a modern dairy farm, but the ancient surroundings of this particular farm, with its preserved turf halls, positively reek of history and date back to the saga period of the Vikings. The settlement is often mentioned in Njáls Saga as the home of one of its characters - Ingaldur Höskuldsson. To get to Keldur turn right 1km southeast of Hella onto Rte. 264 and follow the road about 16km, to its easternmost point.

Gunnarsstein.

Around 3km east of Keldur a boulder marks the site of a particularly savage scene in Njál’s Saga, where a character named Gunnar and his men were ambushed and a bloody battle ensued. Who knows if the dualhearted bracelet, discovered during a nineteenth century excavation in the area, belonged to Gunnar’s brother Hjört (Heart), who was buried, according to the saga, at Gunnarsteinn.

Lava Centre.

The Lava Center is an interactive, hightech educational exhibition depicting volcanic activity, earthquakes and the creation of Iceland over millions of years. lavacentre.is Hvolsvöllur.

Travelling further south to this small ring-road town brings you into the thick of Njál’s Saga country. Lovers of literature and Viking history will enjoy a stop at Valhalla Restaurant and Saga Centre (on Rte. 261) . You can enjoy home-made smoked barbecue and view an exhibition with models of Saga-age constructions, and replicas of period costumes. Paintings and information panels reveal the interesting historic events of the Viking period. The newest feature is a locally woven tapestry depicting events from Njal’s Saga. The tapestry is woven in the style of the Bayeux Tapestry. It’s open daily during the summer between 09:00 and 18:00. Hlíðarvegur 14 – 860 Hvolsvelli, Phone: 487 - 8781. Bergsþórshvoli.

Before leaving the area to enjoy the highlights of the coastal road, don’t forget to pay a visit to the homeland of Njáll himself (off Rte. 252), where he lived with his wife Bergþóra. Though don’t get too disappointed by the modern house currently occupying the spot. According to the story, the original home of Njáll was set ablaze by the dreaded Flósi and his ‘Burners’ in the year 1011; killing Njáll and most of his family. Charred remains tested during excavations of the site have been dated back to the saga-age.