Off-road Sprengisandsleið (F26), Iceland

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Route F26 or Sprengisandsleið is a highland gravel road in Iceland, running through the Sprengisandur area between the glaciers Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull. Route F26 is only for rugged 4WD vehicles with good clearance. The road's opening date varies, but usually falls at the end of June. Note: Rented cars are not allowed on either road as F roads are usually only intended for 4WD vehicles. With its 200 km, it is the longest of the Icelandic highland roads. Its southern end is at the lake Þórisvatn, to the northeast of the volcano Hekla, and its northern end is the lower part of the valley of the river Skjálfandafljót, to the southwest of lake Mývatn. Hrauneyjar Highland Center is a year-round highland oasis at the southern terminus of the Sprengisandur Route, has two hotels and restaurants, an information desk, and the last gas station for the next 240km (149 miles). A trail map of the surrounding area is available at reception. Sprengisandur is a highland plateau in Iceland, defined roughly as the area between the Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers. Like Kjölur and Kaldidalur, Sprengisandur is an ancient pass - during the time of the Icelandic Free State (ca. 930-1265) it was one of the several important north-south routes that connected remote regions of the island to the Plains of the Parliament, Þingvellir, where the yearly parliament, Alþingi, was held each year at midsummer. In the sagas of Icelanders it is often called simply Sandr "Sand" or Sandleið, "Sand trail". At its southern end, it was joined with another such route, Fjallabaksvegur nyrðri, running west from Landmannalaugar mountain hot springs area. Sprengisandur is only accessible during summer - like other parts of the inner desert, it is impassable in winter because of the snow, and in spring because of floods.

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