Askja volcano travel guide (Iceland)

For many years now, Askja has been the most popular excursion from Lake Mývatn and one of the top destinations in Iceland.

You will travel through the largest wilderness of Iceland, filled with marvels of nature, driving across lunar landscapes where US-astronauts trained before they ventured to the moon in 1969.

You will see scenes of unforgettable nature and exiting geology. Askja, the huge caldera, is still in the making through bedrock subsidence above a deep-seated magma source. It lies centrally in the mountain massif Dyngjufjöll and is an active centre of a volcanic system.

Askja was not explored until the 19th century. In 1874-1875 there was a series of volcanic eruptions in the system, culminating in a very powerful eruption. Some 2 billion cubic metres of ash and pumice where blown from vents now on the bottom of Lake Öskjuvatn . This 11 sq. km-lake formed within a few years, following the event. It is the deepest lake in Iceland, 220 m. The latest eruption in Askja occurred in the autumn 1961.

We recommend you to walk at the slopes of a 1961-crater. An easy 30-min.-long walk leads you to the explosion crater Víti (Hell) at the rim of Lake Öskjuvatn.

A small, milky and warm lake adorns the crater. Amazingly, it turns into a heaven if you care to take a bath in it. After enjoying the unearthly quietness and bizarre landscape our passengers return to the bus.

Víti is a popular bathing site, but if you intend taking a dip, please be aware that the sloping path is very slippery in wet weather.

Route back to Lake Mývatn, you could make a stop is made at Herðubreiðarlindir where clear water flows from springs in an old lava flow. The springs sustain beautiful vegetation and form small ponds providing conditions for flowering plants and birdlife in the otherwise barren, volcanic landscape. The high bulk of the old sub-glacial volcano (tablemountain) Herðubreið (1682 m) rises about 3 km distant and provides a breathtaking background to this wilderness oasis.

Askja is a 50 km2 caldera in the Dyngjufjoll mountains. The mountains emerged in eruptions under an Ice Age glacier cap. Askja itself was formed, for the most part, at the end of the Ice Age in a major ash eruption which caused the roof of the magma chamber at the heart of the central volcano to subside. Askja is a part of Vatnajökull National Park. The caldera contains several volcanoes, including Víti (explosive volcanic crater). Water has accumulated in the crater, its temperature is variable - it is around 30°C on average.

HOW TO GET THERE?

The road to Askja goes from road 1 to road 901 and onto mountain road F905. Onward to F910 to Drekagil. On this route there are two fords to cross, usually small. From Drekagil goes mountain road F894 (8 km) to the car park at Vikraborgir.

Another option is to go from road 1 to mountain road F88 via Herðubreiðarlindir to Drekagil. On this road ther are fords on the rivers Grafarlandsá and Lindá that need to be crossed. The fords can be difficult or even impassable for small jeeps.

HOW TO DRIVE ON F ROADS?

So what do you have to keep in mind when planning a trip to the highlands?

-You have to be driving a 4x4 vehicle.
-It is strongly advised that people travel together in 2 or more cars.

-You should check information about the conditions of the roads before you start your journey. It is best to call 1777 or check www.road.is.
-Make sure that the F road you plan to travel on is open for traffic.
-Driving outside of the roads in the highlands is strictly forbidden. Actually, driving off road in Iceland is always forbidden!

-Buying a detailed map of the route you will be travelling is much better than using the standard free map you can get at tourist information centers and gas stations. This is not necessary but can be very helpful.
-Whenever possible, try to talk to local people about conditions in the area, such as rangers.
-Tell somebody about your travel plans. You can for example tell the good people over at www.safetravel.is (or just the ranger you talked to before).

-It is good to be prepared for all types of weather as the weather in the highlands can change almost with a blink of an eye.
-Be aware that telephone signals in the highlands are not very stable and you can go for a long while without a mobile connection.
-The emergency number in Iceland is 112. You are able to call it in the highlands, even without a mobile connection.
-There is no petrol station in the highlands so make sure you fill up! :)

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CROSSING THE GLACIER RIVERS

When you cross rivers, make sure that the 4 wheel drive has been engaged before going into the river. Drive very slowly and use the low range if possible. Never switch gears in the middle of the river.

Glacial rivers usually have less water in the mornings. During warm summer days, the flow of the river can increase a lot. Heavy rain can also increase the flow of a river substantially. Be aware that rivers can sometimes not be crossed even if the road is open and you are driving a 4x4 vehicle.

A good rule of thumb regarding glacier rivers is that if you would not want to wade through a river you should not drive through it. Crossing rivers can be a serious matter if people are not careful. Whenever possible, cross with someone with experience in crossing rivers.

Fords over rivers are usually marked and should be easy to spot. Be aware of big rocks that might be under the surface of the water. The worst place to cross is where the water is most calm because that is usually the deepest part of the river. The best way to cross is to follow the torrent diagonally down the river, that way the torrent helps the vehicle over.

If you prefer a guided tour, we recommend a guided tour from Lake Mývatn to the Askja Caldera with this Icelandic company.

You can also make it with a Bus 4x4 from the company Visit Askja. Good price and great adventure!

Peter and Helga
Iceland24

Surfing in Iceland? Icelandic surf guide

While surfers have been wandering the globe in search of perfect waves for a solid 50 years now, until recently, in order for a place to be considered a surfing mecca it had to meet the idyllic tropical threshold: swaying palms, warm water, powder-white beaches. It’s no wonder places like Tahiti, Fiji, and Indonesia have well-beaten paths. But true adventurers are always on the frontier, which, in surfing circles, is getting pushed farther and farther away from the equator.

This movement has been fueled largely by incredible advances in wetsuit technology. Softer, lighter, more flexible rubbers that have been developed in Japan have been incorporated by every major wetsuit manufacturer, and subsequent advances in fit and ergonomics have dramatically improved comfort for surfers in cold locales. Today, a place like Iceland, which was once considered impossible to surf, is suddenly on the surf-adventurers map.

California’s Chris Burkard is one surfer who never let the cold stop him. “I grew up on the Central Coast of California, which has chilly water year-round, so that part never intimidated me,” he said. As a staff photographer for Surfer magazine, he doesn’t mind volunteering for assignments in the northern reaches. “Surfers are always wondering where the next perfect wave is going to be found, and there are still a lot of warm-water discoveries to be made, but the bottom line is there’s way more unexplored coastline up where things get cold and rugged, and that’s what lured me to Iceland,” he said.

While he’s only made a few trips to the Nordic island, what Burkard has found will keep him going back for years to come. “I’m a lover of the outdoors, and this is wilderness surfing at its finest,” he said. Here are some of his images from his most recent visit.

“There are very few places in the world where you can find ice on the shores of a beach with perfect surf. Walking around huge glacial ice chunks on the way to the water there was no question this was going to be the coldest session of our most recent trip to Jökulsárlón,” Burkard said.

“In summer the water can be a toasty 47 degrees. But in the fall, when the swells get bigger, water temps drop into the high 30s.”

Sam Hammer has been surfing through New Jersey’s harsh winters for nearly 20 years, so he’s used to pretty chilly water. But you won’t find a scenic lineup like this anywhere near the Jersey Shore.

“We spent days wandering in places where you don’t even see signs of civilization,” explains Burkard. “I brought a Goal Zero solar pack just to keep my camera charged, and it quickly became the most prized possession within my crew, because everyone had gadgets that needed charging. Little things like that can become your lifeline.”

Driving is both heaven and hell in Iceland, but the scenery is always changing. One minute you’re on a black sand beach, the next a giant white glacier, and and hour later a sea of green.

Shooting photos from the water in Hofn was surreal. “It was hard to imagine we were scoring waves at the foot of some of the most dramatic mountains I’ve ever seen,” said Burkhard. With the air temperature dropping below the water temp on this day, “The water felt surprisingly nice,” he added.

A decade ago wetsuits were so stiff and heavy guys like Alek Parker wouldn’t have stood a chance of being able to perform like this. Today’s suits have improved dramatically, allowing for a lot more fun, and opening the door for a lot more exploration.

The best part of wilderness surfing like this is you get your pick of camp sites. Burkard and his crew always go for the ones with a view.

Advances in technology are pushing surfing's frontier farther and farther away from the equator

When to go?

Low pressure systems spawned in Baffin Bay, wind up south of Greenland, before sending groundswells slamming into the Reykjanes peninsula, the first stop on the transatlantic swell highway. These swells can be giant and very powerful, building suddenly and they are often accompanied by raw winds and stormy conditions.

Winter is the most consistent swell season with excellent waves regularly hitting all sides of the Reykjanes. The problem in mid-winter is getting the right conditions to conspire in the very short span of daylight. Strong winds, chilling temperatures, snow storms and large tidal fluctuations are just some of the variables. September to November can be good months, with manageable air and water temperatures, and frequent low pressures.

May-August sees plenty of summer flat spells in the southwest and could be a good time to explore the east and the north coasts for arctic wind swells. Tides exceed 5m (15ft) and there are only a few spots that can handle all tide heights. Even the main beachbreak at Sandvik struggles to break at high tide.

Source: Grindtv.com / Christopher Mauro
Iceland24, August 2014

North Iceland named as Top 10 European Destination for 2013 by Lonely Planet

North Iceland has been named as a Top 10 European Destination for 2013 by the world’s leading travel publisher, Lonely Planet. The list, which was compiled by the team’s editors, local experts and wide-roaming authors from the U.S. and London, placed North Iceland in third place.

According to the Lonely Planet, travellers should venture away from Reykjavik and the popular Golden Circle route to experience the charms of the North including Iceland’s second city Akureyri, as well as the region’s “dramatic geysers, lava fields and towering waterfalls.”

Arnheiður Jóhannsdóttir, general manager of North Iceland Marketing Office, said, “We are proud to hear that Lonely Planet has seen the potential in North Iceland, which is an area that has been growing in popularity during the past years. We have many of Iceland’s most popular natural attractions such as Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall and on Grímsey island you can cross the Arctic Circle.”

Myvatn Nature Baths, an outdoor geothermal pool similar to the popular Blue Lagoon in Keflavik, was also noted by Lonely Planet as a great reason to visit the North. The chance of spotting the Northern Lights was also noted as being higher than ‘in even more northern parts of Scandinavia.’

Jóhannsdóttir continued, “The area is very versatile and attracts visitors all year round including the winter months when the magical Northern Lights dance in the sky and you can enjoy watching seals, whales, take on exciting jeep tours or simply enjoy the icy landscape. Additionally, visitors can now get direct connecting flights from Europe and the U.S. to Akureyri in North Iceland with Icelandair, making it even more accessible for those wanting to explore this part of the country.”

Andy Murdock, U.S. digital editor of Lonely Planet, commented, “Few destinations seem to be attracting as much word-of-mouth love as Iceland right now. With a small window of affordability, popular Icelandic bands, mystery writers, and a seeming worldwide need for a long soak in a hot spring, Iceland seems to be on every traveller’s mind this year.” 

To read the full Lonely Planet article, click here. In addition, for more information about North Iceland, visit www.northiceland.is.

Iceland24, June 2013
Resource: Icenews