Kerlingarfjoll

Kerlingarfjoll is a cluster of rhyolite peaks in the middle of the Kjolur route, roughly halfway between the south and the north of the country. The rock is streaked ochre, pink and grey, and the centre of the range, Hveradalir, is a geothermal basin where steam pours out of the hillsides and hot streams cut down through the coloured ground. Boardwalks and marked paths run through it, partly to protect the surface and partly because the crust is thin in places. There is a mountain lodge with huts and a campsite at the road end, and walks range from a half-hour loop to full traverses of the ridges.

The landscape

• Hveradalir - the geothermal basin with fumaroles, hot streams and boardwalk paths.
• Rhyolite slopes - hillsides streaked ochre, red and grey against grey snow patches.
• Ridge walks - marked routes climbing above the basin for views across the range.
• The road end lodge - huts and a campsite serving as the base for walkers.

When to go

The Kjolur route and the side track are usually passable from late June until September, and the huts operate in the same window. Highland weather turns quickly and fog can close the basin for a day at a time. Book huts ahead in July and August, and check road conditions on the morning you drive in.

Practical notes

The final section of track needs a 4x4 and includes a small ford; ordinary cars should not attempt it. Facilities are limited and everything is charged, including parking. The geothermal ground is genuinely dangerous off the boardwalks and people have been burned. In poor visibility there is little to see for a long drive.

Nearby

The Kjolur route runs north past Hveravellir towards Blonduos and south to Gullfoss.

Key facts