Askja

Askja is the far highland stop, a full day from the Ring Road and back or a night at Drekagil, and the one where the vehicle decides everything. Two routes exist: the F88 from Hrossaborg on the Ring Road, which fords the Lindaá at Herðubreiðarlindir, and the F905/F910 from Möðrudalur, which the park has recommended in the past for smaller 4x4s when the Lindaá is high. Both are closed until the Road Administration opens them, usually late June, and the Vegagerðin highland page read today puts it plainly: F-roads are classed as such because they are "exceptionally uneven, rough and steep, and/or there is one or more unbridged river crossing", and unauthorised off-road driving "is strictly prohibited and carries serious consequences".

Safetravel.is, read today: "Know that no insurance covers any damage of a vehicle while crossing a river!"; "Always try to go down stream"; "do not switch gears while in the water!".

The practical line, from the park page today: "During the summertime, park rangers are stationed at Drekagil and Herðubreiðarlindir Springs", and a ranger is at Askja daily in high season; the Touring Club of Akureyri runs the Drekagil campsite and cabins. From the Vikraborgir car park the walk to Öskjuvatn is 2.5 km and about two hours return on the park's easy grading. No fuel anywhere past Möðrudalur, where an Orkan station opened on the Ring Road (orkan.is news); fill at Mývatn or Egilsstaðir and carry a reserve. No phone signal for most of the way.

Safety at the crater, from the park: "the sloping path is very slippery in wet conditions and the mud at the bottom is quite hot", and "There is also a danger of rocks falling from the edges". Quiet by definition; the coach day-trips arrive around midday.