Ásbyrgi: Eyjan Rock Island

The Eyjan hike is an easy walk in Ásbyrgi, the huge horseshoe-shaped canyon in Vatnajökull National Park in North Iceland. Eyjan, 'the island', is a long rock ridge that rises in the middle of the canyon, and the trail follows its top to a viewpoint at the far end. The out-and-back route is about 5 km round trip with roughly 60 m of ascent and a high point near 80 m, and takes 1–1.5 hours.

Ásbyrgi was carved by catastrophic glacial floods, and its sheer walls rise up to 100 m on three sides. Legend says it is the hoofprint of Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse. From the top of Eyjan you look down into the birch woods filling the canyon floor and across to the cliffs. The walk is short and easy, mostly level after a short climb, and a great introduction to the area.

Highlights

• Views over the horseshoe-shaped Ásbyrgi canyon
• Birch woodland on the canyon floor
• The sheer walls rising on three sides
• Easy access from the visitor centre

The route

Getting to the trailhead

Ásbyrgi is on Route 85, between Húsavík and Kópasker in North Iceland. The Gljúfrastofa visitor centre is at the mouth of the canyon, near the trailhead. There is parking at the visitor centre. Route 862 also connects Ásbyrgi with Dettifoss.

Where to stay

There is a large campsite in Ásbyrgi, run by the national park, and a shop at the nearby fuel station in summer. Húsavík, about an hour's drive west, has plenty of accommodation and is known for whale watching.

Best time to hike

May to October is the season. Summer is busiest, but the trail is rarely crowded. September brings autumn colours to the birch woods. In winter the area is quieter, and the path may be snowy.

Safety

This is a low-risk walk, but the cliff edges along Eyjan are unfenced and the rock can be loose near the rim, so keep children close and stay on the path. In wet weather the path can be slippery. Moss and birch on the ridge are fragile, so do not take shortcuts. Check SafeTravel.is for conditions and call 112 in an emergency.