Access to Askja

The roads are already open, and have been for some time, if that is what you mean by specifying "in August". However what cannot be told with any reliability, unless you have immediate information from people who have recently travelled the road, is how deep the fords are this week. It varies from year to year, and possibly from day to day with the weather. So, ask people in the area how they are in general about now this year. Also remember that fords do get deeper both in wet weather and sunny weather, so both recent heavy rain and recent sunny days can increase ford depth.

I'm really no expert on different kinds of 4wds. What you can safely do with a specific 4wd also depends on the driver. In this case the important factors are crossing fords and (for the F905 route) driving on deep sand. A particularly important issue in Iceland is the roads your car hirer permits you to drive. When you get your car, they will give you a map showing you where you can drive. If you need to know in advance, check with them now. The matter is contractual between you and the hirer. But it is nevertheless a serious matter, and there is some enforcement, and large penalty charges if you are caught, though of course your safety is more important. You should remember that your hirer cannot accurately predict the depth of a ford at a specific moment, or if there will be a storm raging, and it remains your decision to cross the ford. Unless it is obviously a shallow stream, it is wise to walk fords before driving them so you understand the details. It is hard to assess their depth and strength of flow and rockiness across the full width of a ford unless you are actually in there. Usually the downstream edge of the ford is shallower - don't just go for the shortest route, look for the shallowest, even if it is longer.

It is generally said that the F88 is a road for a "proper jeep". By chance the only 4wd I have ever driven is a Gran Vitara, and in my ignorance I would call it "not a proper jeep", but that was a quite a long time ago now and models change. And maybe with the right driver it is, if you are such a driver you will know the answer to that question. The really bad ford is the Lindaa near Herdubreidarlindir, because it is long and maintains an even depth for a long distance. I've crossed when it has been above my knee, but I've also crossed it when its been below my knee, so I, nor anyone else, can say it will be exactly so deep. Fortunately it is relatively slow flowing for an Icelandic ford, but there is enough flow that a tour coach once floated off on a day the ford was especially deep. There is another short ford further north, rather faster flowing, I have seen jeep drivers a bit scared to enter when I was crossing it by bicycle. It is generally said that the F905 (or more accurately on the section of F910 that joins the F88 and the F905) has easier fords than the F88, and drivers of more marginal vehicles are often advised to go that way. But it depends on the moment. When I travelled that section of the F910 once, the fords were really bad. But apparently that's not usual situation, perhaps they were affected by some recent weather. Nevertheless be prepared to be unlucky and don't just drive in, check first. But you do need to know that if you go this way, you meet a long section of deep sand, 20km or so. Vehicles can drive on such sand, better with wider tyres, but you do need to understand the risk of getting bogged and what to do if it happens.

You are aware, I hope, that Askja is about a 4hr drive each way from the ring road via F88, probably longer via F905. It will be an uncomfortable drive, because these are not roads with prepared surfaces, rather the surface depends upon the local soil. So some extended areas are rather stony creating a very rough ride in the car. And unless you have the fortune to be crossing shortly after recent rain, the dust will be bad. Also that the scenery is rather monotonous on some long sections of it.

I think the F894 from Dreki into the Askja caldera should be fine, though will be slow, rough, going. You have to walk about 2km each way from the car park to Viti, its pool, and the Askja lake.

Hi,
For updated weather forecast, please check out this site http://www.vegagerdin.is/ferdaupplysingar/faerd-og-vedur/faerd-um-allt-land/island1.html
Good luck!

Thank you so much for your help !!

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