The Kjöllur route

The Kjöllur route is one of the main highland routes in Iceland. It connects the south from the Gullfoss to the ring road in the north of Iceland between Blöndous and Varmalid.
Under Cyclists this route is known as one of the easier highland routes and accordingly highly frequented.
Most smaller roads in Iceland are gravel roads and the Kjöllur is no exception there.
Occasionally there were unexpected road closures
first we wanted to visit the Kerlingar Fjöll

The Kerlingar Fjöll,

is one of Icelands forgotten secrets. It is an area of incredible beauty with hot springs and colorfull mountains. In good weather you have a view over the close Hofsjökull and Langjökull, two of Icelands largest glaciers.

A view back to the Kerlingar Fjöll
Hveragerdi was a bit of a disappointment for us. When we arrived there were 4 large buses and about 20 4*4s. Far too busy after the solitude of the Kerlingar Fjöll and to make matters worse, the natural hot pot was definitely too hot for a bath....
Not many plants can survive the highlands. I have a lot of respect for this one (silene spp.)

A real pioneer !!!!
An other pioneer ?
I have a lot of respect for her too.

Like some more Geology?
The bolder was on top of a 200m hill. It must have got there by a glacier during the last Ice age.

Later water seeped into tiny cracks, froze in winter, extended, thawed again in summer, seeped further.... Finally a large slice of rock fell off. The Icelanders call this 'Trolls bread'.
Varmahlid is not really on the Kjöllur route any more (it is the first place to buy food after the Kjöllur), it is not either a place you would normally mention, as it is a tiny village with a Gas station / food shop, Tourist info, Campsite and obligatory swimmingpool.

For Shoam Varmahlid was a highlight of the trip, for on the campsite she met Cathalena. Cathalena is a german girl, who travelled with her parents through Iceland. Having walked for 4 days from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmörk, they explored Iceland now by car.

I don't know, if it was the shared experiances, the love for Icelandhorses or just the company of somebody in the same age, but the 2 where inseperable....