Upper Hveradalir trail (Geothermal area)

Highlights of the track:
A good day trip around the central part of the mountain area, with visit to several smaller and larger hot springs, but besides that a variety of landscape that is interesting to see and visit. Another points of interest are the pond and the view from the top of Kerlingarskyggnir, for those who decide to take that detour.

Description:
First part of this hike is from the car park at Keis towards the bottom of Hveradalir, when there, we follow the river Ásgarðsá upstream for the next 4 ,5 Km. The river flows along a narrow valley or a canyon so the hiker may have to cross the water several times. Like most rivers, the water accumulates on their way from their upstream and therefore the crossings get easier step by step.

The river runs in a curved path around the western side of Mt Fannborg, with some vegetation close to the river, through or close to few geothermal spots but besides that, the environment is gravel plains and hills, surrounded by higher hills or mountains.

Close to the final upspring of Ásgarðsá river, there are hills with view over the central and eastern part of Kerlingarfjöll. These hills represent the water parting between the rivers Ásagarðsá to the north or northwest and river Kisa to east and southeast. In the larger sale this is also the water parting between river Hvítá on one hand and river Þjórsá on the other.

From the hills the track goes southwest and then turning northwest towards the mountain ridge that separates the two geothermal areas in Kerlingarfjöll. On the way there is a small lake or rather a pond, Grænatjörn.

From Grænatjörn there are two ways to return back to the bridge over Ásgarðsá and then to the parking place, either to follow the foothill of the mountain ridge or take the longer route and go via the top of the ridge, on mt Kerlingarskyggnir, which gives opportunity to see over the western part of the area, towards the summits of Ögmundr and Böttur. Irrespective of the route selected, the last part of this hike is through a geothermal spots, where care has to be taken to follow the tracks and avoid the steam spots.