Herðubreið

Herðubreið

Herðubreið, viewed from the southeast
Highest point
Elevation 1,682 m (5,518 ft)
Listing List of volcanoes in Iceland
Coordinates 65°10′44.06″N 16°20′50.36″W / 65.1789056°N 16.3473222°W / 65.1789056; -16.3473222Coordinates: 65°10′44.06″N 16°20′50.36″W / 65.1789056°N 16.3473222°W / 65.1789056; -16.3473222
Geography
Herðubreið

Iceland

Location Eastern Iceland
Geology
Age of rock Pleistocene
Mountain type Tuya
Last eruption Pleistocene

Herðubreið (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhɛrðʏpreiθ], broad-shouldered) is a tuya in north-east Iceland. It is situated in the Highlands of Iceland at the east side of the Ódáðahraun desert and close to Askja volcano. The desert is a large lava field originating from eruptions of Trölladyngja and other shield volcanoes in the area. Herðubreið was formed beneath the icesheet that covered Iceland during the last glacial period.[1]

Herðubreiðarlindir

Overview

Due to the mountain's steep and unstable sides, the first ascent was in 1908 despite centuries of knowledge of its existence.

Near the mountain lies an oasis called Herðubreiðarlindir with a campground and hiking trails. In former times, outcasts who had been excluded from Icelandic society because of crimes they had committed lived at the oasis. One such outlaw was Fjalla-Eyvindur, who lived there during the winter of 1774–1775.[2]

See also

References

  1. Teitsson, Ingvar. "Herðubreið - Drottning íslenskra fjalla". International year of mountains 2002. Icelandic Environment Association. Retrieved 2011-10-19. Archive.org
  2. Askja and Kverkfjoll: Exploring the Area, Frommer's Iceland, 1st Edition.

Media related to Herdubreid at Wikimedia Commons

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