During my visit to East Iceland I fall in love with large stretches of Ring Road 1 in this part of the country. The views are incredible! It’s so beautiful to see how the road winds through the landscape (sometimes climbing, sometimes descending) creating breathtaking panoramas. This is also the case in Fagridalur Valley, a mountain pass between Reyðarfjörður and Egilsstaðir. When I drive through the valley it has just snowed, making it look even more magical. I immediately understand why it was given its name, which means beautiful valley. What really stands out is the red house in the middle of the valley. Why is this orange-red house standing here all alone? There is no sign of life anywhere nearby. Curious, I set out to find out why the house is standing so isolated in Fagridalur Valley.
Read this article in DutchFagridalur Valley
Fagridalur Valley in East Iceland is a long valley with a stream running through it. Ring Road 1 follows the stream as it passes through. The region has a tundra climate, as does much of eastern Iceland. The average temperature here is around 4°C, and there is a lot of precipitation. Out of 365 days, only about 75 are completely dry. So it’s not surprising that even in summer the valley can turn beautifully white with snow.
Neyðarskýli in Fagridalur Valley, the red house
Fagridalur Valley is mostly barren, with hardly any vegetation apart from certain grasses. You also won’t find any signs of settlement here. All the more reason why the red house in the middle of the valley stands out. It turns out that the house is a neyðarskýli: an emergency shelter. Years ago, it was regularly used by people who were caught in bad weather while crossing the mountain pass. Nowadays, the pass is closed during severe weather, so the shelter is rarely needed. Today, the red house mainly serves as a highly photogenic spot in East Iceland. No matter which season you visit this part of the country, the red house in Fagridalur Valley will stand out in every photo.
Hiking to Rauðshaugur from Fagridalur Valley
From Fagridalur Valley you can take a beautiful hike to Rauðshaugur, a rocky hill that, according to legend, is actually a burial mound. The saga tells that the chieftain Rauður was buried here along with all his riches. For more information about this hike, check the website of Visit Austurland.
Öxi Pass (Road 939) or Fagridalur Valley (Ring Road 1)?
If you’re following Ring Road 1 on your trip through Iceland, you can choose to drive the Öxi Pass (Road 939) when traveling in the east. This impressive mountain pass is only open when weather conditions are good. If you get the chance to take it, I definitely recommend doing so. Coming from the north? To reach the Öxi Pass from Egilsstaðir you first need to take Road 95. Should the pass suddenly close, you can simply continue on Road 95 until it reconnects with Ring Road 1. If you don’t take the Öxi Pass and just stick to Ring Road 1, you’ll automatically pass through Fagridalur Valley. Both routes are beautiful, though it’s fair to say that the Öxi Pass is much wilder and more challenging. That’s the real Iceland!
