Beautiful calm, sunny day for our lap of honour to the lighthouse.
Baldwin and henkrika kindly give us a lift to the nearest town, Vik, where we go straight to the brewery for some celebratory beers and burgers.
Next day weather is horrible, but no bother, just souvenir shopping and getting the bus back to Reykjavik for the final night, including a slap up meal at ROK.
4am start to get to the airport to fly back, plane is mostly empty, and then back to the reality of the UK with a bump arriving in Luton...
The famous Laugavegur trail, followed by the Fimmvörðuháls trail, are a shock to the legs after mostly flat-ish terrain for most of the trip, suddenly we have 1000m+ climbs every day, crossing snow pack, geothermal vents, through fog, drizzle, and gale force winds. And amazing views, hard to capture in pictures.
Anyway, all done in 3 days where sensible people take it hut to hut in 6.
Arriving at the bottom to a deserted campsite, gale force winds, closed hostel, we have sought refuge at a rather nice hotel where we have been greeted with a discount rate, sandwiches, and a room with a view of skogafoss waterfall Result.
Anyway, all done in 3 days where sensible people take it hut to hut in 6.
Arriving at the bottom to a deserted campsite, gale force winds, closed hostel, we have sought refuge at a rather nice hotel where we have been greeted with a discount rate, sandwiches, and a room with a view of skogafoss waterfall Result.
After 3 days of bleak, windy landscapes of nothing but gravel, cloud and rain, we reach a region of lakes, moss covered hills, and finally the sun emerges, the views become epic, and we reach the camp at Landmannalauger, receive our food parcel and relax in a natural hot spring. What a difference a few hours makes in this country!
Cutting through the Vonarskard, between the Vatnajokull and Tungnafellsjokul glaciers. Great views again. Many small rivulets and glacial outflows to cross, comfortable up to knee deep. Until Svedja river, a wild torrent which we didn't go near crossing, despite searching upstream for routes through the tributaries and camping overnight to see if the level would drop - it did, but only about 6 inches, so today backtracked 12km across 5 rivulets to switch to alternate route B, down easier but less scenic 4x4 tracks, which we will follow for the next 3 days to Landmannalauger
Looks like the glorious weather has also finally run out but can't complain
Looks like the glorious weather has also finally run out but can't complain
Two days crossing the desert, soft sand, morphing into large drainage basin mud flats, then gravelly hills, bit of wind kicking up dust in the face but only to indicate how it could be horrendous.
Glacier always on the left
Heavy bags with 3.5 litres water and 8 days food
Flies gradually thin out and disappear
Finally arriving at Gaestavatn "oasis" for nice camp
Glacier always on the left
Heavy bags with 3.5 litres water and 8 days food
Flies gradually thin out and disappear
Finally arriving at Gaestavatn "oasis" for nice camp