Skjaldbreiður
1,060 m
Iceland
Also known as СкьяльдбрейдюрAlso known as
Скьяльдбрейдюр
- Elevation
- 1,060 m
- Prominence
- 545 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The standard ascent of Iceland's textbook shield volcano: from the highest point of the power-line road F338 by the crater hill Hraukur (605 m), straight south up the gently sloping, sand-covered lava of the north flank to the 300 m-wide summit crater. About 10 km return and 550 m of cumulative ascent; 3½–4 hours.
About 100% of this line is approximate (no mapped trail; drawn from the terrain). Check it against a map before relying on it.
Why? 3 check notes
- 100% approximate geometry
- low confidence 0.4
- Hraukur → Skjaldbreiður: dem (snap_failed, 3.9 km)
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 3.9 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +505 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,060 m
- Time Up
- 2h 10m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 30m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Reach the start on Skjaldbreiðarvegur (F338), the rough power-line track between the Uxahryggir road (52) and Haukadalsheiði; from the Kaldidalur/Uxahryggir junction it is about half an hour's drive, and the track needs a high-clearance 4x4. Where the line road runs highest on the mountain, a short track leads south to the crater hill Hraukur (605 m), where walks usually start. The route heads directly south for the summit. The ground is mostly sand-covered lava with low lava ridges, with no water anywhere; the gradient is gentle throughout, typical of a shield volcano, and the length and monotony of the lava are more taxing than any steepness. The crater rim is easy to climb, and the crater, about 300 m across, usually holds snow or water. The view takes in Þórisjökull, Langjökull, Ok, Hlöðufell, the Botnssúlur and Þingvallavatn. Return the same way. In cloud the featureless slopes make navigation by GPS or compass essential. In winter and spring the line road is closed; the mountain is then reached on skis (or by snowmobile and modified jeep when snow allows) from the western start of the line road.
Start
Hraukur551 m
- None; a high-clearance 4x4 is needed on F338.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hraukur → Skjaldbreiður | 3.9 | 505 | 0 | 2h 10m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Hraukur551 m
Position is the nearest point of F338 to the summit (OSM); Hraukur crater hill 605 m lies just south of the road
- Summit: Skjaldbreiður1,060 m
Key Passages
- Lava slopes of the north flank
- Summit crater rim
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 40%Overview
Iceland's archetypal shield volcano (1,060–1,066 m), a vast, symmetrical dome north of Þingvellir whose lava formed the Þingvallavatn basin. From the power-line road F338 an easy, waterless walk over sandy lava leads to a 300 m-wide summit crater; the challenge is the 4x4 approach.
Skjaldbreiður ('broad shield') rises north of Þingvellir National Park between Þórisjökull and the Kaldidalur road on one side and Hlöðufell and Haukadalsheiði on the other. It is the classic example of an Icelandic lava shield: a near-perfectly symmetrical dome covering about 170 km², built mostly in a single, very long eruption series about 9,000–10,000 years ago. Its lavas flowed south to shape the basin of Þingvallavatn, Iceland's largest lake, and the plains of Þingvellir, where they are now split by the fissures of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge such as Almannagjá and Silfra. The summit crater is about 300 m across and usually holds snow or water.
The usual ascent is from the north, from the crater hill Hraukur on the power-line road F338: about 10 km return and 550 m of ascent on sandy lava, with no technical difficulty. Since the line road was built, the mountain has become a popular summer outing for Icelandic walking clubs. In winter people reach the top on skis, snowmobiles or modified jeeps.
On a clear day the view over Þingvallavatn, Langjökull, Þórisjökull, Ok and Hlöðufell is the reward. The national poet Jónas Hallgrímsson celebrated the mountain in his poem 'Fjallið Skjaldbreiður'.
Climbing Notes
Easy for anyone fit enough for a 3½–4 hour walk on rough ground, provided the weather is clear. Wear sturdy boots, bring poles, and carry all your water. Navigation matters in cloud, as the slopes are uniform. The real hurdle is the approach: F338 is a rough, winding lava track for high-clearance 4x4s only and is closed in winter and spring; check umferdin.is. In winter, ski ascents from the western end of the line road are possible for experienced ski tourers.
History
Jónas Hallgrímsson, poet and naturalist, wrote the well-known poem 'Fjallið Skjaldbreiður' about the mountain and the formation of Þingvellir. Hiking on Skjaldbreiður increased greatly after the power-line road (now F338) was built between the Kaldidalur road and Biskupstungur, removing the long approach on foot.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Good
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- F338 closed; ski or over-snow vehicle only
- Feb
- Ski ascents from the western end of the line road for experienced tourers
- Mar
- Ski touring
- Apr
- Ski touring; F338 closed
- May
- Thaw; tracks closed
- Jun
- F338 may still be closed; snow patches
- Jul
- F338 usually open
- Sep
- Walking clubs often go in September; shorter days
- Oct
- Tracks closing; first snow
Access & Permits
- Rules
- Off-road driving is illegal in Iceland; F338 is for 4x4 vehicles only and only when officially open
- Getting There
Þingvellir (service centre); Selfoss or Reykjavík for services
Keflavík International Airport (KEF); Reykjavík Airport (RKV)
- Car: from Þingvellir north on the Uxahryggir road (52), then east on the power-line road F338 (Skjaldbreiðarvegur) for about half an hour to its highest point north of the mountain and a short track south to Hraukur
- No public transport
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness