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Kverkfjoll is a mountain massif
underneath and on the northern edge of the icecap
Vatnajökull. It is clearly visible from the main road in the
north on a fine day. It contains two high mountains (1920
and 1860m) and a high temperature area (10 km²). Just above
the thermal area one of the huts of The Glaciological
Society is situated (1977). Under the glacier snout filling
the gap between the high mountains, a warm stream runs
through a 30 km long ice tunnel, which has been frequented
by adventurers, who have also bathed in the warm water.
Those, who enter the ice cave always run great risks,
because of cave ins. The mountain massif is very
volcanically active and several eruptions have taken place
there during historical times without any visible signs of
lava fields on the surface. The latest eruption probably
took place in 1930. The jeep track from the main road in the
north to the tourist hut in Kverkfjoll is about 90 km long.
The slowest part of it begins after the bridge of river
Kreppa and the stretch from there to the hut, between the
two glacial rivers is called Krepputunga. The landscape and
surroundings there are so unique, that people have not been
able to describe their impressions afterwards. There is a
crossing south of the Hvannalindir oasis.
The track to the northwest leads to Askja.
From the hut in Kverkfjoll it is sometimes possible to drive all the way up to the
glacier's edge, if the rivers on the way are not too swollen. A hike across the glacier
tongue, up to the high temperature area, should not be undertaken by unaccompanied,
inexperienced people. The hike is rather strenuous and takes the whole day, but it is
definitely worth the effort and simply unforgettable. Scheduled trips to Kverkfjoll
during summer start from the town Husavik.
After the establishment of Europe's
largest
national park, Vatnajokull, on June 7th, 2008, Kverkfjoll
became one of the centres for the NP wardens.
More
Herdubreidarlindir
62
km
<Kverkfjoll> Askja
41 km,
Hvannalindir, Modrudalur
90 km, Myvatn
155 km (via Herdubreidarlindir
165 km). |