In the mountains close to Borgarfjörður eystri lies a maze. But it’s not the kind of maze that you might see in city parks and gardens. This maze is made of rock and moss. And it’s name is quintessentially Icelandic in its difficult pronunciation. It’s name, Stórurð (Stohr-Urth), means the big gravel field. And it’s massive.

Although inaccessible by car (as many of the best places in Iceland are), there are a number of trails that will take you to Stórurð. They vary in length, but all of them take at least two hours to complete, which translates to a full day of exploring with stops by the turquoise lake and games of hide-and-seek in between the boulders. There is also quite a lot of variation in landscapes, as some trails lead you into the high alpine regions around the Dyrfjöll massif while others meander through lush valleys. With this variation in approaches and exit routes, this natural paradise offers endless ways for hikers to experience its landscape. The classic trailhead to Stórurð starts at the top of Vatnsskarð mountain pass, with alternates and return routes down the road of either side of the pass if hikers want to go a circular route. This does however require considerable extra hiking up the road to get back to your car. The best out-and-back route in my opinion is from the trailhead in Njarðvík, just down the road from Vatnsskarð pass.

As you get to the edge of the Stórurð Valley, you are presented with incredible (sometimes misty) views of the entirety of the natural phenomenon. From the “door” of Dyrfjöll (door-mountains), down the valley towards the river plains of Fljótsdalshérað, there are countless car-sized boulders and dozens reaching the size of apartment blocks.

Nestled in this narrow valley west of the Dyrfjöll Massif are the remains of a glacial moraine carried down by an ice-age glacier. However, this is not your usual gravel dune. Here, instead of being pummelled and ground into gravel and sand by the moving glacier, huge blocks of rock fell onto the glacier from the mountain above as it was being carved up. These blocks were then carried down the valley over hundreds of years until the ice age ended and the glacier receded. By then the valley was absolutely covered in rocks. Contrary to it’s relatively recent formation at the end of the last ice age, Stórurð looks ancient. Even fantasy-like.

As Stórurð became more widely known as a place of interest, mountain bikers have started riding into the area and using the trails that have traditionally only been used by hikers. This has sadly sparked controversy in the community and the landowners have threatened to close the area as they regard the usage of trails for mountain biking to be damaging to the environment. Right now we at Fjord Bikes are working to keep the area open to everyone, including mountain bikers, and seek to designate one of the trails exclusively for mountain biking. So check in with us before you ride in this area to get the latest tips for exploring this hidden gem.