Jarhlettur mountain ridge is a 15 km (9.3 mi) long chain of 20 peaks south-east of Langjökull glacier in the Central Highlands. The ridge stretches from Hagavatn lake in the south to Skálpanes plain in the north. The peaks rise 200-300 m (660-1,000 ft) from the black sand desert to create one of the most desolate and otherworldly landscapes in Iceland.
The peaks have featured as an alien landscape in the Hollywood movie Oblivion. In one scene Tom Cruise sits atop one of the peaks, observing a spaceship cruising over the Central Highlands.
As most of Iceland’s central highlands it’s been burnt by volcanoes for centuries and then gnawed naked by the relentless ferocity of long, cold and windy winters. The palagonite peaks were formed in a subglacial eruption during the last Ice Age.
A challenging day-trip from Reykjavík
f you are looking for a challenging day-trip from Reykjavík you might want to consider summiting the largest of the peaks, Stóra-Jarlhetta, also known as Tröllhetta. Stóra-Jarlhetta, the largest of the peaks, rises to 943 m (3,094 ft) above sea level. If you have time and energy you can easily simmit one or two other of the other peaks. It only takes three hours to drive from Reykjavík to Hagavatn lake, taking Hagavatnsvegur mountain road F335. From the parking lot by Hagavatn cabin east of Hagavatn lake there is a easy 5 km (3.1 mi) trail which takes you to the slopes of Stóra-Jarlhetta.
After you have climbed the screes in the lower part of the slope you reach beautiful palagonite cliffs. The highest part of the cliffs of Stóra-Jarlhetta are extremely difficult for even experienced climbers, but even if you don't reach the highest summit the view is nothing short of breathtaking.
Any visit to Jarlhettur should include a hike south Jarlhettudalur valley to the outlet from Hagavatn lake, where the lake empties into the river Far by a beautiful waterfall called Leynifoss (literally: Secret Waterfall) which plunges off a steep cliff. Google Maps lists the waterfall as Nýifoss, which is not the correct name for the waterfall.
Ólafur Már Björnsson, who is a medical doctor, videographer and mountaineer, created this brilliant short film documenting a hike in the area. The footage was captured from the ground and also from above with a drone creating a beautiful perspective.
Jarlhettur from Olafur Mar Bjornsson on Vimeo.
Jarhlettur mountain ridge is a 15 km (9.3 mi) long chain of 20 peaks south-east of Langjökull glacier in the Central Highlands. The ridge stretches from Hagavatn lake in the south to Skálpanes plain in the north. The peaks rise 200-300 m (660-1,000 ft) from the black sand desert to create one of the most desolate and otherworldly landscapes in Iceland.
The peaks have featured as an alien landscape in the Hollywood movie Oblivion. In one scene Tom Cruise sits atop one of the peaks, observing a spaceship cruising over the Central Highlands.
As most of Iceland’s central highlands it’s been burnt by volcanoes for centuries and then gnawed naked by the relentless ferocity of long, cold and windy winters. The palagonite peaks were formed in a subglacial eruption during the last Ice Age.
A challenging day-trip from Reykjavík
f you are looking for a challenging day-trip from Reykjavík you might want to consider summiting the largest of the peaks, Stóra-Jarlhetta, also known as Tröllhetta. Stóra-Jarlhetta, the largest of the peaks, rises to 943 m (3,094 ft) above sea level. If you have time and energy you can easily simmit one or two other of the other peaks. It only takes three hours to drive from Reykjavík to Hagavatn lake, taking Hagavatnsvegur mountain road F335. From the parking lot by Hagavatn cabin east of Hagavatn lake there is a easy 5 km (3.1 mi) trail which takes you to the slopes of Stóra-Jarlhetta.
After you have climbed the screes in the lower part of the slope you reach beautiful palagonite cliffs. The highest part of the cliffs of Stóra-Jarlhetta are extremely difficult for even experienced climbers, but even if you don't reach the highest summit the view is nothing short of breathtaking.
Any visit to Jarlhettur should include a hike south Jarlhettudalur valley to the outlet from Hagavatn lake, where the lake empties into the river Far by a beautiful waterfall called Leynifoss (literally: Secret Waterfall) which plunges off a steep cliff. Google Maps lists the waterfall as Nýifoss, which is not the correct name for the waterfall.
Ólafur Már Björnsson, who is a medical doctor, videographer and mountaineer, created this brilliant short film documenting a hike in the area. The footage was captured from the ground and also from above with a drone creating a beautiful perspective.
Jarlhettur from Olafur Mar Bjornsson on Vimeo.
