Insight Guides Explore Iceland by Insight Guides

Author:Insight Guides
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: comma or semi-colon separated keywords
Publisher: Apa Publications
Published: 2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00

Purple lupins populate Vatnajökull

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Vatnajökull National Park: Jökulsárgljúfur

Ásbyrgi

The turn-off to one of Iceland’s greatest natural attractions lies 40km (25 miles) south along Route 85. Jökulsárgljúfur 9 [map] , the country’s longest river canyon at 25km (16 miles), lies in a region of bleak beauty forming the northern section of the immense Vatnajökull National Park.

The great horseshoe-shaped canyon Ásbyrgi ) [map] sits at the turn-off. Sheltered green woodland of birch, willow and mountain ash covers the canyon bottom, surrounded by a curving wall of 100-metre (330ft) -high cliffs. Geologists believe the canyon was formed by two catastrophic jökulhlaups (glacial floods), caused by eruptions under faraway Vatnajökull icecap, 8–10,000 and 3,000 years ago. More romantically, Viking settlers believed it was a giant hoofprint made by Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse.

Ásbyrgi visitor centre (daily mid-May–mid-Sept 9am–7pm, early May and late-Sept–Oct 10am–4pm, Nov–late Dec and mid Jan–Apr 11am–3pm), near the canyon’s entrance, explores the history, geology and wildlife of Jökulsárgljúfur. It also has information on the area’s many and varied hiking trails, from easy strolls to challenging paths and multi-day hikes.

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