We returned last night, safe and sound, from a four day backpacking trip
in Southern Iceland on the country's most popular hiking trail. The
trail is about 31 miles long and runs north to south from
Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork.
We
left Friday morning and headed east to the start point. Our wonderful
Icelandic guides, Pauli and Rosa, met us at Solheimar and quickly built a
great report with us: hospitality, knowledge, confidence, compassion,
and great food. It was nice to see a new part of Iceland, though
Solheimar is beautiful itself. Along the way, we ran into the annual
sheep roundup in this region of Iceland. Sheep spend their summers
grazing in the mountains and are rounded up before the winter. Farmers
from all around the area are required to help out. Some were on foot,
some on horses. Border collies were all around, keeping the sheep in
line. We drove at about 3 mph for a good 20 minutes as thousands of
sheep ran by.
The
first day of hiking was difficult. It had begun to rain and it was
already near 2pm by the time we got on trail. We climbed over 400 meters
in elevation Friday afternoon, facing more wind and rain with each step
uphill. The weather, combined with the realization that I was not in as
good of shape as I had thought, made for a very pessimistic Elise. I
spent the hours thinking of excuses to skip out on the next 3 days of
the trip; I thought there was no way I could face more of this harsh
landscape and physical challenge. We reached the hut and it was a sight
for sore eyes! The hut was heated and full of cozy bunk beds, stoves for
coffee, and geothermal pipes to dry wet socks on.
The "Super-Jeep" that transported our food and luggage from hut to hut
Day
two, we woke up to strong winds at our elevation of 1012 meters. This
made for difficult hiking, especially along ridges. Wind rushing over
the mountains came down like a tunnel, making it hard to move forward.
This day was much improved from the first though. We climbed on a
glacier, saw some hot ponds, and got a terrific view of the mountain
lake Alftavatn where our second cabin was located. The sun peaked out
throughout the day and put a big smile on my face. The hut we stayed at
here was much newer and very fun. Instead of bunk beds, all the beds
were right next to each other (no space), which made for a very silly
sleepover.
Sunset from our room at the second hut
Day
three.... I close my eyes and sing "Arabian Nights" to myself. This day
was mostly flat, but the majority of the hiking was over the sand flats
near the glacier Myrdalsjokull. The winds were a sustained 20 mph, with
gusts up to 45 mph. I'd be talking with someone, then all the kneeling
on the sand because of a big gust, then jump back up and ask "Can you
say that once more?". Conversations weren't very deep that day. We
reached that third hut in Emstrur by 2pm, so we took a little side trip
to a nearby canyon. I didn't stray too close to the edge, but definitely
got an appreciation for the immensity of it from a safe distance. That
evening in the hut was lots of fun. After playing several rounds of
Spoons (the card game), the had a hearty dinner of tortellini and heard
Icelandic ghost stories well into the evening. Needless to say, I had a
hard time going to sleep that night with the wind howling and ghosts on
my mind.
Day
four was spectacular. The sun shone on and off all day, often mixed
with rain. We saw about five different rainbows yesterday, each one
brighter than the last. The hike was so enjoyable and the scenery was
incredible. About an hour from the end, we crossed a small river. The
water was cold but so refreshing. We walked the final kilometer in an
Icelandic birch forest, right in the foothills of the volcano/glacier Eyjafjallajökull. I didn't realize how much I missed the fall colors of
Wisconsin until we walked through this forest. After being surrounded by
ice, stone, and moss for days, it was so healing to be among trees
again. We also hiked this last part silently, to give us a chance to
appreciate and fully experience this land around us once more.
Birch forest
The
bus picked us up at Thorsmork, and the fearless driver drove
confidently over many a river on the way out. We stopped for pizza and
soda on the way "home" to refuel on grease and sugar. It was sooo good.
My first shower and soak in the hot tub were great and it's nice to be
back. I don't feel like I can fully explain all that happened on the
trip. It was beautiful, challenging, gratifying, and renewing. I was
pushed further than I thought I could go, and am proud of myself for
completing the trip. The land was gorgeous beyond belief: mountains of
every shape and color, glaciers with their own climates. I gained
muscle, confidence, and humility. I experienced just a small part of
what Iceland has to give and I will never forget this trip. That is all.
-Elise
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