Breiddalsheidi (Breiðdalsheiði) Mountain Pass - An early attempt at road building
Breiddalsheidi (Breiðdalsheiði) Mountain Pass - An early attempt at road building
For centuries the main route between Breiðdalur and Egilsstadir was over Breiðdalsheidi pass. At 470m in height, the route was snowbound in winter and could be shrouded in fog at any time of year.
Road building was uncommon in Iceland before motor vehicles arrived because people travelled by sea, on horseback or on foot, carriages being totally unsuited to Icelandic conditions.
Due to the hazards of crossing Breidalsheidi, a stone road, marked by cairns, was built in 1870 using only hand tools. Traces of the road, which was used by pack horses, can still be seen. What is remarkable is that it was in use for 90 years, and for the last 20 of them, by the first motorists.