Kjölur ( Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈcʰœːlʏr̥] ) is a plateau in the highlands of Iceland , roughly defined as the area between the Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. It lies at an elevation of about 600–700 metres.
5-555: At the northern end of the Kjölur road, near the headwaters of the Blanda river, the hot springs of Hveravellir provide a warm oasis . Not far from Hveravellir, the Kerlingarfjöll , a volcanic mountain range , is situated to the north-east of the Kjölur road. Like Sprengisandur highland road, the area was probably known since the first times of Icelandic settlement and is mentioned in
10-400: A catch of almost 3000 salmon in one summer. Before the river was dammed in 1990, the salmon spawning grounds reached almost to the foot of the glacier. Blanda hydroelectric power station uses the drop of the river to generate up to 150 MW of power. 65°39′40″N 20°18′00″W / 65.66111°N 20.30000°W / 65.66111; -20.30000 This article related to
15-563: Is a river in Iceland which flows northwards from the northwest side of the Hofsjökull glacier into Húnaflói bay at Blönduós . The Blanda is one of the longest rivers in the country, with a length of about 125 km, and has a catchment area estimated at 2370 km . Its source is calculated to lie at a height of 800m. The river is one of the main salmon rivers in Iceland and has often yielded
20-461: The Icelandic sagas . A track along Langjökull was used as a shortcut between regions during summer. This is today known as Kjalvegur hinn forni (Old Kjalvegur) and is still in use for trekking and horse-riding . Piles of stones mark the track through the highland desert . After some people had perished in a snowstorm by the end of the 18th century, the Kjölur road was forgotten for about 100 years. It
25-879: Was rediscovered in the 19th century. In the 18th century, the Icelandic outlaw Fjalla-Eyvindur used the Hveravellir hot springs as a settlement. One of the hot spots in this area is still used for bathing. A gravel road known as Kjalvegur (F35) runs through the centre of the area, connecting the Southern Region and Northwestern Region of the country. A few smaller tracks lead from the main track, making Hveravellir and Kerlingarfjöll accessible by car. Other tracks however, may be used only on foot. 64°42′N 19°24′W / 64.700°N 19.400°W / 64.700; -19.400 Blanda The Blanda ( Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈplanta] )
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