Page 82 - S Winter 2025

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a professional driver—the rewards can be striking. In winter, the drama
of the Highland landscape is particularly pronounced. With everything
covered in shining white snow, the grandeur and strength of the mountains
loom even more magnificently. Such a majestic environment is perfect for
exploration, in both an environmental and an internal sense.
Visitors can explore the Highland either on snowmobile, with a tour
taking you up the Fannborg mountain, across the plains and toward the
enormous Hofsjökull glacier, or on skis. Ski tours are catered to a selection
of different skill levels, from more casual backcountry skiing and Nordic ski
expeditions, to tours intended for a bit more of a thrill. For a more relaxing
activity, the resort site features outdoor mineral water hot baths heated by
energy sourced underground from the nearby Hveradalir, a geothermal
field whose name means “valley of hot springs.”
The remote northern region, free of light pollution, is ideal for watching
the aurora borealis. The resort itself was designed to reduce its own glow so
as to give guests a great view of the atmospheric show of light. Under the
dancing shimmers of greens and purples, standing among an impossibly
large, snow-covered mountain range, you’re well-positioned to feel the
sense of slowing down and contemplation that’s so central to the essence
of winter. And once you’re ready to warm up, a seat by the massive picture
windows in the hotel suites might inspire that classic Nordic hygge, or cozy
contentment, that ties a perfect evening together.
H ighland Base’s resort site, nestled within the Kerlingarfjöll mountain
range in the Icelandic Highland, looks a bit like something out of a
Nordic fairy tale. Quiet kilometres of nothing except rolling mountains and
majestic plains, and then, suddenly, a scattered collection of structures that
emanate a charming mid-century feeling. Quaint A-frame huts repurposed
from a 1960s ski school crouch on slopes beside a grand hotel with a rustic-
looking pine exterior, and smaller lodges sit nearby.
On a particularly mystical night, with the northern lights shimmering
overhead and the thick snow absorbing the sound of your footsteps, it
wouldn’t seem out of place for a troll to be strolling somewhere between the
hotel restaurant and the hot baths. Local legends do in fact allege that the
creatures are partial to wandering the region. The name of the area itself,
Kerlingarfjöll, means “old lady mountain” and is attributed to a folk tale
in which a troll woman accidentally went out during the day and turned to
stone in the sunlight, becoming a part of the mountainous terrain.
For many years, the Highland, the mostly uninhabited central region of
Iceland, was more or less the exclusive domain of trolls and their folktale
compatriots. Highland Base, a new resort effort from the people behind
luxurious Icelandic spa retreat Blue Lagoon, is now giving adventurous guests
an opportunity to explore this remote area—even in the middle of winter.
If you can brave the cold and the long nights, as well as the challenge
of reaching the area—accessible in winter only via Super Jeep manned by
Photos courtesy of Highland Base at Kerlingarfjöll.