Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Hljóðaklettar, meaning "Echo Rocks", is a group of twisted basalt formations in Vesturdalur in the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, part of Vatnajökull National Park in North Iceland. It lies between Ásbyrgi and Dettifoss, is free to enter, and is easiest to reach in summer. A 30-minute loop from the car park covers the main rocks, including the Kirkjan cave.
Hljóðaklettar sits where old volcanic craters were cut through by the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river, leaving behind basalt columns set at odd, twisting angles rather than the usual straight rows. Some formations show a honeycomb pattern where the rock has weathered, and hollow, cave-like chambers run through parts of the cliffs. The name refers to the way sound echoes and bounces strangely off the rock walls and the river.
The rocks are the insides of a row of craters about 6 km long that erupted 8,000–9,000 years ago. Later the river, in flood, washed away the loose cinder and left the hard cores where the magma had set inside the vents. The national park describes this as a rare sight anywhere in the world. Because the rock cooled in different directions, the columns lie flat, stand upright, lean at an angle, fan out and curl into spirals.
Walk slowly and you can pick out swirls, rosettes, fans and honeycombs in the cliff faces. Honeycomb weathering, where the surface is pitted with rows of small hollows, is uncommon in Iceland, and this is one of the best places to see it. The landscape looks random and ordered at the same time.
Hljóðaklettar lies in the valley of Vesturdalur, on the west bank of the river, about 15 km south of the horseshoe canyon of Ásbyrgi and north of Dettifoss. It is one of the stranger landscapes on the Diamond Circle route and quieter than either neighbour. It is a good stop for anyone who likes to walk among rock formations and not only look at them from a viewpoint.
Hljóðaklettar means "sounding rocks", and you will also see it translated as the Echo Rocks or the Whispering Rocks. The national park explains the name by the sound of the Jökulsá á Fjöllum. The roar of the river bounces between the cliffs and caves, so it seems to come from several directions at once and it can be hard to tell where the river actually is.
The rocks are tied to troll stories too. In Icelandic folklore trolls turn to stone when sunlight touches them, and several of the formations here are named as if that is what happened. Tröllið, also called Tröllkarlinn, is the troll. A short walk away, the two pillars Karl og Kerling, the old man and the old woman, stand beside the river. According to the park, these names go back to tales from the settlement of Iceland.
Route 862 is paved, and a normal car is fine in summer. Older descriptions of a rough gravel road that needs a 4x4 are out of date for the main road. In winter the stretch north of Dettifoss gets little or no service and is often closed by snow for months, so plan a summer or early autumn visit and check road.is before you set out.
The short loop passes three formations that have their own names. You meet them in this order as you walk from the car park towards the river.
Stay on the marked paths. The national park does not allow walking off them at Hljóðaklettar or Rauðhólar, to protect the plants.
Step through the arch of Kirkjan and you hear why the place has its name. A shout or a clap does not come back as one clean echo. The sound bounces around the cave and the cliffs outside and returns from several directions, and the rumble of the river is mixed into it. Some visitors find it eerie and others just find it fun.
The effect comes from the shape of the rock. The basalt columns point every way, with hollows and caves between them, so sound is thrown back at many angles. Calm days are best. In strong wind you hear the wind and little else.
All trails start from the Hljóðaklettar car park in Vesturdalur. The national park marks them with a letter and a number. A short loop covers the main formations, and with the longer loops you can fill anything from 3 to 6 hours.
Trails are marked but uneven in places, with some scrambling over rock. The Jökulsá is fast, cold and grey with silt, so keep well back from the bank.
No shop, café or fuel. In summer the national park runs a simple campsite in Vesturdalur, close to the trailhead, with toilets and water. The visitor centre, Gljúfrastofa, is at Ásbyrgi, about 15 km north.
There is a simple summer campsite in Vesturdalur itself and a larger one at Ásbyrgi. Ásbyrgi and Kópasker have limited accommodation; most visitors base themselves in Húsavík or Mývatn and drive out for the day.
"Echo Rocks" or "sounding rocks", named for the way the sound of the river and of voices reflects off the unusual basalt formations.
Three named formations on the short loop: Kastali (the Castle) is a fortress-like pair of rocks, Tröllið (the Troll) stands a few steps on, and Kirkjan (the Church) is a domed cave with an arched entrance, known for its echo.
Take Route 862, either north from the Ring Road past Dettifoss or south from Route 85 near Ásbyrgi, and follow the signposted side road into Vesturdalur. It is about 15 km south of Ásbyrgi.
Not in summer. Route 862 is paved and a normal car is fine. In winter the road north of Dettifoss is often closed.
No, it is free to visit as part of Vatnajökull National Park.
It is difficult. The road north of Dettifoss gets little or no winter service and is often closed by snow.
The short loop takes about 30 minutes; the longer circuit trails take 1 to 2 hours. With Rauðhólar and Karl og Kerling you can spend half a day.
Yes, in summer. The national park has a simple campsite in Vesturdalur, close to the trailhead. Camping elsewhere in the park is not allowed.
