Holtavörðuheiði
The Holtavörðuheiði plateau is located in Iceland . The boggy plateau with many lakes is located north of the Borgarfjörður region between Bifröst and the Hrútafjörður fjord in the municipality of Húnaþing vestra and Borgarbyggð .
The Holtavörðuheiði extends up to 407 m and from the Tröllakirkja mountain range and the adjacent Snjófjöll in the west to the lower plateaus (around 200 m) of the Tvídægra and the Arnarvatnsheiði .
Transport connections today and in the past
Until the beginning of the 20th century, frequently used paths led across the plateau. These were used a lot especially in winter when poor people from northern Iceland were sent to winter fishing stations by their farmers. For people who were poorly equipped with clothes and shoes, such a hill presented a considerable obstacle. Quite a few were killed trying to cross it.
In 1936 the Danish crown prince couple came to visit and even then it was considered a real heroic deed for foreigners to drive over the Holtavörðuheiði on the bad slope.
Today the well-developed ring road leads through the valley of the Norðurá over these hills. Memorial plaques remind of the visit of the Royal Highnesses and the old street conditions. Old roads are sometimes still visible in the landscape. A narrow bridge from the time of the Crown Prince's visit is located in a ravine west of the path (parking lot with information board). In 1978 it took eight hours to drive to Akureyri from Borgarnes , but now the drive over the new route usually takes five hours. However, it can happen that the road is closed for a few days due to a snow storm.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. Vegahandbókin . Ed. Landmælingar Íslands. Reykjavík 2006, p. 61
- ↑ Vegahandbókin , ibid.
Web links
Coordinates: 64 ° 56 ′ N , 21 ° 1 ′ W