Ásbyrgi

Ásbyrgi is the northern anchor of the Diamond Circle and the quietest big site in the north, because it is at the end of the loop rather than on the Ring Road. From Húsavík it is about an hour on route 85; from Dettifoss it is half an hour down road 862 on the west bank. Most plans do it as the far point of a Mývatn or Húsavík day and turn back south past Dettifoss.

How long: the inner car park is a short drive into the canyon, and the walk to the pond under the cliffs is twenty minutes return on level ground. The rim walks and the trail down the whole Jökulsárgljúfur canyon to Dettifoss are long-day hikes, and the park's "Outside of the summer months, conditions can change rapidly" applies to those, not to the canyon floor.

The practical line, from the park pages today: the Gljúfrastofa visitor centre at the canyon mouth has toilets and ranger information; from 1 November it is open Monday to Friday 10:00 to 15:00. "The campsite is open from the middle of May to the end of October every year", with electrical hook-ups; camping is 2,800 ISK per adult and electricity 1,500 ISK per 24 hours. There is a small fuel point and shop by the junction, but the operator could not be confirmed on a station map today; fill at Húsavík. Phone signal is weak on the canyon floor.

Quiet almost always; the only wave is the midday Diamond Circle coaches. In winter route 85 along the coast is exposed; check umferdin.is.