Highlands of Iceland

The highlands of Iceland include/understand the majority of the interior of the island. That relates to the parts located above approximately 500 m. The area is uninhabitable.

In Iceland, one speaks about two categories of Highlands:

háls which refers to the mountainous regions located between the large valleys, like p.ex. surroundings of the lake Langavatn in the north of Borgarnes;
heiði which means the Highlands themselves as for example Höltavörtuheiði that one crosses on the trunk road no.1, Hringvegur.

The interior of the Iceland consists mainly of a desert of Lave where water of the sky, the rain and snow, disappear in the ground which cannot hold them.

The Glacier S also belong to this area, like the Vatnajökull, the Langjökull or Hofsjökull to only name most known. At the edge of the glacial torrents or rivers, one finds a little vegetation, but it is always endangered by the Jökulhlaup, of the floods caused by volcanic eruptions.

One can cross this part of the country only in summer (June at August) with cars. For the remainder of the year, the roads are closed. There are three well-known roads which already exist since the Moyen-âge. They are called Kaldidalur, Kjölur and Sprengisandur. For these roads, one needs a 4x4. It is not allowed to leave the roads, because the environment is very sensitive and one can still see the traces of the tires after years.

Some very interesting natural sites are on the Highlands of Iceland, for example Landmannalaugar or the area close to the volcanos Askja and Herðubreið.

See too

Volcanos of Iceland

external bonds

the current condition of the roads
Photographs

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