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The Land of Ice and Fire is home to almost 270 glaciers, and Hofsjökull is one of the biggest. This glacier is an adventure for those who want to brave the rough Icelandic Highlands and see the source of much of Iceland’s power.
Off the bat, to avoid any confusion, it’s worth noting that the volcano resting underneath the glacier is also called Hofsjökull. But we won’t be diving into too much depth regarding Hofsjökull’s fiery side this time around (although we’ll give some info later on). In this article, we explore this geological marvel and climb the mountain of knowledge as we mainly focus on and find out more about this quiet glacial giant’s icy side.
The Basics of Hofsjökull
As we already touched on, Hofsjökull sits snuggly on top of a volcano (like most glaciers in Iceland). This volcano has the same name as the glacier and has a caldera that is roughly 7 kilometers long and 11 kilometers wide.
That makes it the largest active central volcano in Iceland, even though “active” is a truth with modification since it’s been dormant for very long (with no eruptions in the past 12 000 years, to be exact, but more on this later). When Hofsjökull Volcano erupts, you can expect light and fast-moving lava streams pouring out, if it makes it through the ice cap.
Hofsjökull Glacier is roughly 1,765 meters high, which varies slightly over the course of the year and covers an area of about 925 square kilometers. Despite being the third largest glacier in the country, it is responsible for the longest river, Þjórsá, and other nearby rivers.
How Hofsjökull was Formed
Iceland is the result of the volcanic activity from the American and Eurasian tectonic plates moving away from each other. This has created the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that goes all the way from the South Pole to the North Pole with many island groups in its path.
The interesting geological position that Hofsjökull sits in makes it difficult to determine when this part of Iceland was created. Hofsjökull sits on something called “the Hreppar microplate”, which is a very small tectonic plate that has formed between the American and Eurasian plates.
This plate has been shown to move independently of the two larger ones, making it a seemingly stable area in the middle of its chaotic friends. When we say stable, we mean that its tectonic movements are slow, and leads to changes only occurring over millions of years, whereas the other two leads to a further separation of at least 2.5 centimeters of the continents each year.
Since Hofsjökull is so remote and, in general, very hard to reach and study, we can’t pinpoint exactly when the mountain was formed. The volcano underneath hasn’t erupted for the last 12,000 years, which means the only sure date we have is that the glacier is at least 12,000 years old.
Hofsjökull Rivers
Even though Hofsjökull Glacier is hidden away deep in the Icelandic Highlands, it might be the hardest-working glacier in the country since it feeds into three major rivers:
Þjórsá
This is the longest and largest river in Iceland, stretching from the outlets of Hofsjökull down to the coast close to Selfoss and Hella. It is continuously fed through the numerous gorges at the foot of Hofsjökull and is the source of multiple hydropower stations on its way to the sea.
Thjórsá is named after the prow statue (the figure on the front of a ship) that sat on one of the first ships to reach Iceland in the Settlement Era. It’s one of the rivers in Iceland with a full and permanent island in it, Árnes, which was historically used as a Thing (assembly point) for the locals in the Viking Age and Middle Ages.
Throughout history, this has been an important river for catching large volumes of salmon and is one of the few that contain seals. Seals used to be hunted in the river for their meat and oil, but as time went on, hunting diminished as it was discovered that fishermen targeted the seals as retaliation for their destructive behavior on the fishing equipment. Now, the seals are mostly gathered at the mouth of the river, where they sit in peace.
Héradsvötn
On the other side of the Hofsjökull glacier, two rivers are formed from the meltwater: Ausatari-Jökulsá and Vestari-Jökulsá (Eastern-Mountain River and Western-Mountain River). These feed into the massive river Héradsvötn that eventually runs out to sea under Road 75 north of Varmahlid.
This river generally has a bad reputation and is known to have the deadliest waterfall in Iceland. Despite this, the Eastern-Mountain River that feeds into Héradsvötn is a popular river for rafting.
Blanda River
Another one of the longest rivers in Iceland, Blanda, is fed by the massive Hofsjökull Glacier. It runs on the northwestern side of the glacier and feeds into numerous lakes along the way until it eventually reaches the sea close to Blönduós. Just like Thjórsá, it’s well-known for good salmon fishing and is a source of power for the Icelandic electrical grid.
Going Through a Change: Hofsjökull and the Climate
If you’ve ever spent time on a glacier in Iceland, it’s mind-boggling to think these icy giants might soon disappear. With “soon” we’re talking about 2-300 years.
Hofsjökull is projected to lose roughly half of its mass by the year 2100, and by the year 2200, only a very small ice cap will remain at the top. This process will include a long period of massive discharge from the glaciers, greatly increasing water levels in the rivers and also the chance of strong floods.
When most of the Hofsjökull Glacier has melted, the rivers will suddenly drop dramatically in size and flow since there is no more ice to be melted and fed into them. What is left will have a significant impact on the power generation in Iceland as well as the water life.
2015 marked the first year in 20 years that the glacier gained volume instead of losing it. A cold summer and a winter with lots of snow are attributed to the increase in volume. Despite that, Hofsjökull has lost more than 12% of its volume since 1989, proving that despite a temporary increase, the glacier is continuously shrinking.
Where is Hofsjökull?
You have probably heard all about the glaciers Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Mýrdalsjökull, which are only a hop, skip, and a jump from Ring Road 1. Hofsjökull, on the other hand, is far from easy to reach.
Smack-dab in the center of the Icelandic Highlands, Hofsjökull towers over its surrounding landscape. It sits just northeast of the small and popular Kerlingarfjöll, south of Tröllskagi Peninsula, and northwest of the massive Vatnajökull Glacier.
How do I Get to Hofsjökull?
If you want to go on an adventure and explore the area around Hofsjökull, you can either do that via a self-drive, or on a guided tour.
Driving Yourself to Hofsjökull
First of all, if you’re going to drive to Hofsjökull, you need to have a 4x4 vehicle and the only time you can reach it is in the summer in Iceland. Hofsjökull sits between F35 and F26 and they are not connected at all in the Highlands This means that you need to plan your driving according to what you want to do and where you want to go before driving the mountain roads.
F35
To get on F35 from Reykjavik, the most straightforward way is to jump on Ring Road 1, go east, and turn on Road 35 right before you reach Selfoss. The other route is to make it a part of a Golden Circle tour and continue on Road 35 from the Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss Waterfall.
Both these routes will take you to the Kerlingarfjöll base, which is a good starting point if you want to explore the area.
F26
To get to the F26 from Reykjavik, do as with the F35 and drive Ring Road 1, heading east. You will reach a small roundabout with a gas station a while after you’ve driven through Selfoss.
Here, you take the left turn heading north on Road 26. This road will become F26 after a while and take you past Thórisvatn on your right. Along Road 26, there will be plenty of stops to make close to the base of Hofsjökull, but you can also continue past the glacier and take F881 to a good starting point for a hike in the area.
Hop on a Tour
Since Hofsjökull is a very hard glacier to hike, most tours will take you to the nearby Kerlingarfjöll instead. These tours will often depart from Reykjavik or the nearby cabin and be part of a multi-day tour package. Since Hofsjökull and Kerlingarfjöll are so far into the Highlands, it’s not feasible to make it a day tour from the capital.
If you go in the winter, you must book a spot in a 4x4 Super Jeep driven by a staff member of the nearby cabin.
Things to Do in the Hofsjökull Area
When you go to the Hofsjökull area, hiking is going to be the main activity. There are other things to do, such as snowmobiling, Iceland horseback riding, and skiing, but hiking is most common.
The trails in the area are concentrated on the Kerlingarfjöll-side of Hofsjökull with most of them being at least 4 hours long. The multi-day hikes will take you to different areas of the Highlands, so make sure to pack accordingly!
The riding tours in the area can be booked from Íslandshestar and vary between 1-8 days. Snowmobiling and skiing can be booked by several tour agencies, but the Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll is the closest.
What to Keep in Mind Around Hofsjökull
Traveling in the Icelandic Highlands is safe if you follow the rules of the region. Since Hofsjökull is in the central Highlands, you will have to travel far to reach its base, which means long stretches of F-roads. Below are some key points to remember when venturing into the wilderness of Iceland:
Slow and Steady
The roads to Hofsjökull can go through every possible type of F-road in Iceland. You will travel over rivers, through steep terrain, and sometimes wonder if you’re on a road at all. Keeping a slow and steady pace throughout the journey allows you to keep an extra watchful eye on what is in front of you and can prevent any unnecessary accidents.
Gas Up
Long stretches of road in the middle of nowhere make a recipe for disaster if you’re unprepared. Running dry at the foot of Hofsjökull means that you will be standing for a long while, and since you’re not in immediate danger, no one will rush to help you. Make sure you gas up properly before leaving and see if you have room for an auxiliary tank, just in case.
Marked Roads
Most roads in the Highlands are marked well, but there will be areas where you will have to stop for a second and have a look around you to make sure you haven’t gone off-road. Off-roading is a sure way to damage the rental car and risk a fine from the rangers if you’re in the wrong spot.
Keep an Eye on the Weather
The area around Hofsjökull is as windy as the rest of the island, regardless of its central location. When adventuring in the Highlands, you’ll want to check the weather forecast at least once or twice a day to make sure you’re not caught by surprise. This is extra important when you exit the vehicle and go on a hike.
Where to Stay Close to Hofsjökull
There are two places you can stay close to Hofsjökull: Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll, and Gljásteinn Gíslaskáli Kjölur.
Gislaskáli Kjölur offers a large mountain cabin and stables for the ones who ride there. It’s a bit expensive for smaller groups since the cabin is made for 40-60 people in 6 different rooms. The cabin has cooking facilities, WC, and warm water showers.
Highland Base Kerlingafjöll offers multiple accommodation types at different prices, including hotel rooms, hostel rooms, base cabins, base lodges, and camping spots. There is a fully equipped restaurant in the hotel that offers eating-in and takeaway boxes for visitors. As is tradition in Iceland, hot and cold springs are available alongside a sauna with a view. Highland Base also offers plenty of tours from the base that you can book online or in the lobby.
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Visit Hofsjökull
Iceland’s third-largest glacier might be one of the most important ones. Hofsjökull’s role in Icelandic power production and marine life is crucial, and the trails around it are majestic. If you want an adventure in the Icelandic Highlands, you won’t regret visiting Hofsjökull. All you have to do to start your adventure is to rent a car in Reykjavik and go on your 4x4 way to the Highlands!
