Modrudalur is a farm on the highland plateau of the northeast interior of Iceland, reached by Road 901. It is described as the highest inhabited farm in Iceland. The Ring Road now runs north of the farm.
Where Modrudalur sits
The farm stands in the northeast interior, on a highland plateau. There has been a farm here since the settlement of Iceland, and the site served as a presbytery for centuries.
The surrounding district is called Oraefi, a word that means wilderness. The landscape is barren and open, with no trees to block the view. Herdubreid can be seen from the farm.
The chapel the farmer built
The chapel at the farm, Modrudalskirkja, was built in 1949 by the farmer Jon A. Stefansson in memory of his wife, who had died. He lived from 1880 to 1971.
He also decorated the inside of the chapel and painted the altarpiece himself. The altarpiece shows Christ and the Sermon on the Mount.
Turf houses and the open wilderness around them
The farmhouses are built in the old Icelandic turf house style. That traditional building style sits in a district defined by open ground and long views, with no trees in the way.
Gateway to Askja and the interior
Several interior areas lie inland of the farm: Herdubreidarlindir, Askja, Kverkfjoll, Hvannalindir and Jokuldalsheidi. Askja is a caldera inside the Odadahraun lava field, and Vegagerdin describes it as an increasingly popular destination for its dramatic scenery and its large main caldera.
For more on the caldera inland from here, read this guide to Askja.
Planning the drive across the plateau
The farm is reached by Road 901, while the Ring Road passes to its north. For route comparisons between places in Iceland, use the driving distance tool.
A mountain road, or F-road, is classified as such if the road is exceptionally uneven, rough and steep, or if it has one or more unbridged river crossings that travellers must ford. Vegagerdin grades mountain roads in bands, from roads passable by general traffic in summer, to roads for four-wheel-drive cars, powerful passenger cars and small jeeps, and then roads passable only by large, well equipped four-wheel-drive vehicles and superjeeps.
An F-road needs a medium size four-wheel-drive vehicle or bigger, and some F-roads take only a large one because of the rivers and the ground clearance needed. A small two-wheel-drive car is not a suitable vehicle for them.
Mountain roads are open only a couple of months a year, and they are usually closed from mid September until June or July. Opening depends on the weather in spring and early summer, with snowpack having the greatest influence, and wet roads can also delay an opening. No insurance covers damage to a vehicle while it is crossing a river, so the risk always rests with the driver. Travellers with no experience of crossing rivers are encouraged to consult river-crossing guidance and to practise on smaller rivers before attempting larger ones.
Comparing East Iceland tours
If you want to compare options in the region, see East Iceland tours.
