{"id":1543,"date":"2015-08-20T14:14:20","date_gmt":"2015-08-20T14:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacknoen.wordpress.com\/?p=1543"},"modified":"2018-08-21T14:02:47","modified_gmt":"2018-08-21T14:02:47","slug":"laugavegur-fimmvorduhals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacknoen.com\/be\/laugavegur-fimmvorduhals\/","title":{"rendered":"Laugavegur & Fimmvorduhals"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Laugavegur is the longest (55km) and most famous trekking route in the South West of Iceland. We walked it from Landmannalaugar, known for its hot springs, to Thorsmork – the wood of Thor.\u00a0 Afterwards we continued our walk, hiking the Fimmvorduhals trail.<\/p>\n

This second part of our journey in Iceland was very pretty but, as we could have expected, more busy. Especially the Laugavegur trail was crowded and we didn\u2019t really like that. We had some good laughs though, cause we saw some very odd things in hikerland: Italian hikers with enough space in their bags for huge amounts of alcohol (lucky bastards); a couple who had a really big air matras…blown\u00a0 by a foot pump. (No kidding) They also had a massive hammer to set up their tent. So we first thought they arrived by car. But…they didn’t! Wauw! We also passed some Polish hikers who were stunned they didn’t have\u00a0 heating in the middle of nowhere, to dry their soaked boots. \ud83d\ude42 No need for experience here. You wanna hike? You come to Laugavegur!<\/p>\n

Luckily we had a wide variety of landscapes, all magnificent and sometimes breathtaking.<\/p>\n

We traveled by bus from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar. First we drove in a very comfy coach, with wifi access, but soon we had to switch on to an older version of it, with cracked windows and dusty seats. After a few minutes, it became clear why we had to change: the road transformed into a very bumpy, sometimes flooded, dirt road, quite exciting, since we were sitting in the front row.<\/p>\n

\"dirt <\/a>
dirt road by bus <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The closer we got, the more clear it became how crowded the trail would be. Used to the complete isolation of Hornstrandir, a\u00a0 feeling of ochlophobia came over us. And we considered, taking the first bus back to Reykjavik. Especially when we saw the campsite, this feeling was hard to resist. It was a night-mare: the crowd, the soil, the weather, the disappointing hot springs…<\/p>\n

\"arriving <\/a>
arriving at the campsite <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"leaving <\/a>
leaving the campsite <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

It turned out the weather conditions were even worse during the previous days. So many hikers decided not to start the trail.<\/p>\n

The thought of an other night on nightmare campsite, was worse than the thought of bad weather. So we left in the morning. It seemed we ended up in a scene of Lord of the Rings, when Sam and Frodo were on their way to Mordor or back. The corresponding tune was hummed repeatedly, till the landscape changed.<\/p>\n

\"beautiful <\/a>
beautiful colors <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"getting <\/a>
getting rocky <\/div> <\/div>
\"to <\/a>
to Mordor <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"back <\/a>
back to the Shire <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Sheep! <\/a>
Sheep! Mostly in threesome… <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

We closed our noses and stepped into real volcanic territory. The smoke you see is sulphur. Sometimes it just comes out of holes in the ground and other times you see damping, warm streams.<\/p>\n

\"sulphur\" <\/a>
sulphur <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG9883\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"_IMG9879\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG9900\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Iceland had had a tough winter so there still was snow on the trail. But that wouldn’t stop us. Even when we landed up in a mini blizzard – odd for the summer time- we persevered!\u00a0 It only meant really cold feet, cause we didn\u2019t bring winter proof boots.<\/p>\n

\"don't\" <\/a>
don’t <\/div> <\/div>
\"stop\" <\/a>
stop <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"me\" <\/a>
me <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"now\" <\/a>
now <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"I'm\" <\/a>
I’m <\/div> <\/div>
\"we're <\/a>
we’re having such a good time <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Except for that, the trail was very easy. Since the second campsite was covered in snow, we took a short break at the Hrafntinnusker hut, ate some energy bars and walked on, leaving the crowd behind. Soon we could see the lake near Alftavatn, the third campsite.<\/p>\n

\"_IMG9902\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG9903\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"_IMG9912\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Staying on campsites on the trail is obligatory. They cost about 10 euro p.p. In return, you don’t damage nature and get a toilet. If you want to shower, you have to pay extra money if you’re interested in hot water. If you\u00a0 have money to spare, you can buy yourself a bed in the huts with dormitories.<\/p>\n

\"arriving <\/a>
arriving early <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"a <\/a>
a good spot <\/div> <\/div>
\"nice <\/a>
nice view <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"pretty <\/a>
pretty sunset <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"pretty <\/a>
pretty sunset <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Of course more people arrived during the evening. But we cuddled up in our nice open tarp from where we spotted the well equipped couple, the drunk Italians and the stunned Polish men. So we had a pretty nice evening with a lot of giggling.<\/p>\n

\"volcanic <\/a>
volcanic desert <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"a <\/a>
a looooot of desert <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The following morning we didn’t try to get up early. The morning hike consisted of a flat path trough a volcanic desert. It seemed like going on forever.<\/p>\n

At noon we passed a glacier river. It was pretty massive and we were happy there was a bridge available. We crossed it and cooked our lunch on the river bank.<\/p>\n

\"desert <\/a>
desert again <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"glacier <\/a>
glacier river <\/div> <\/div>
\"glacier <\/a>
glacier river <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Yes, <\/a>
Yes, the coach drove over this bridge! <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

We hoped for some more variation in landscape, only\u00a0we weren’t lucky this time. Desert, desert, desert! But at the end of the walk, we spotted the snowy hills of the mighty Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull!<\/p>\n

\"desert\" <\/a>
desert <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"desert\" <\/a>
desert <\/div> <\/div>
\"desert\" <\/a>
desert <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull\" <\/a>
Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

We arrived at the campsite and found a nice isolated spot. Nobody seemed to take interest in it because it wasn’t close to the toilets. But we loved it! We were all alone, surrounded by a little stream and quietness.<\/p>\n

\"nice <\/a>
nice and isolated camping spot <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The last day of the Laugavegur trail we had to pass\u00a0a – as was written on a poster at the campsite – very scary bridge. As we arrived we weren’t sure if it was the dangerous bridge we were warned about. It seemed rather\u00a0secure and well maintained. We jumped on it several times, with great caution of course, to be certain and luckily made it to the other side, safe and sound.<\/p>\n

\"not <\/a>
not safe for people with vertigo <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"to <\/a>
to Thorsmork <\/div> <\/div>
\"to <\/a>
to Thorsmork <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"glacier <\/a>
glacier in the back <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The last kilometer we walked through the\u00a0forest of Thor. It were more bushes than trees, but we understood the Icelandic folks were pretty proud of it. In the cabin at the end of the trail we bought beer and crisps and more beer.<\/p>\n

We had read that there was a more quiet campsite at the other side of the river, which was also closer to the starting point of the hike to Skogar.<\/p>\n

\"_IMG0009\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"entering <\/a>
entering the land of the mighty volcano <\/div> <\/div>
\"crossing <\/a>
crossing the river, using a funny bridge on wheels <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"nice <\/a>
nice camping site <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

We walked the trail in three days instead of four. Being well in shape, we decided to try to do the Fimmvorduhals trail (about 28 km) in one day. We started early and enjoyed the calm paths and magnificent landscapes towards the Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull.<\/p>\n

\"1000 <\/a>
1000 m of climbing in one day <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"really <\/a>
really walking over a mountain <\/div> <\/div>
\"on <\/a>
on the Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull with view on the Myrdalsj\u00f6kull glacier <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

On the volcano we witnessed a few curious things. First we heard the glacier rumble. That was pretty intense, because at first we didn’t realize what it was. It was a very deep earthy sound and we felt so tiny and humble.<\/p>\n

\"rumbling <\/a>
rumbling glacier <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Myrdals <\/a>
Myrdals glacier <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The second odd thing involved a woman who wandered off the path, climbed through a hole in a rock, threw her back pack down hill, towards the path, where it almost tumbled into an abyss. And then she made it look like \u00a0it was a calculated throw. \u00a0A few bystanders were staggered by this event, but the lady\u00a0took her stuff and walked on as if nothing exciting had just happened.<\/p>\n

\"view <\/a>
view from the volcano <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"lucky <\/a>
lucky (also a little careless) woman on her way down <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"on <\/a>
on our way up <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"picture <\/a>
picture on the highest point of our journey <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"on <\/a>
on the volcano <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

We continued our climb and also wandered off the path to see two new hills which arose in 2010, when the\u00a0Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull erupted. It felt like walking over glass shards. The rocks were pitch black or red and very light.<\/p>\n

\"recent <\/a>
recent rocks <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"up <\/a>
up up up <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Near the pass we also saw\u00a0this beautiful frozen\u00a0lake.<\/p>\n

\"new <\/a>
new earth <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"passing <\/a>
passing the frozen lake <\/div> <\/div>
\"pretty\" <\/a>
pretty <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

We reached the hut where most hikers stayed for the night and walked on. Down hill from now on, straight to Skogar. We hiked alongside a beautiful river with numerous waterfalls, which pours into the big and famous Skogar waterfall.<\/p>\n

Although not far away from a very touristic spot on the south west coastline, little tourists took interest in climbing up the stairs beside the big waterfall to discover the paradise above it.<\/p>\n

Good for us.<\/p>\n

\"now <\/a>
now this is more like what I was expecting from a vertigo bridge <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"lunch!\" <\/a>
lunch! <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0112\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0099\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0155\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0146\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0128\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"_IMG0160\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"_IMG0157\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0141\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0134\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"mighty <\/a>
mighty nature <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0129\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0124\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"_IMG0152\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The last 100m desceding were by stairs and we were accompanied by many visitors of the mighty Skogar waterfall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"breath <\/a>
breath taking <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"we <\/a>
we made it <\/div> <\/div>
\"Skogar <\/a>
Skogar waterfall <\/div> <\/div>
\"very <\/a>
very popular <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"sunset <\/a>
sunset at Skogar <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

All smelly – after a 4 day trip – we waited for the bus to Reykjavik. We took it at nightfall, ate a delicious sandwich along the road and cuddled up in our tarp after a very long, warm, relaxing, well deserved, hot shower.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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