2023-08-20 08:07:17
Ash deserts as far as the eye can see, knee-deep crossings of icy glacial rivers, always new landscapes – and all this in four days, away from civilization in southern Iceland. Laugavegur is a 34-mile trail that regularly features in lists of the world’s best hiking trails. After I walked it up, I have to say: Absolutely right! But from the beginning.
For most hikers, the adventure begins in the capital, Reykjavík. We take an all-terrain bus with a handful of other backpackers to the starting point in Thorsmörk. The journey takes about four hours and is tough, the last hour is on a gravel road and through some rivers. It’s good that the bus driver knows how to drive through the water masses. Towards the end, the road meanders along the foot of Eyjafjallajökull – the volcano whose dust cloud paralyzed European air traffic for days in 2010.
After a fresh night at the campsite in Thorsmörk – the temperatures are in the low single digits even in midsummer – we start. The backpacks are filled with food for four days and everything else that is essential. It is 55 kilometers from here to the destination of Landmannalaugar in a northerly direction.
Source: Infographic WORLD
The Laugavegur can also be walked in the opposite direction, from north to south. Most hikers do this because it is a bit more downhill. We have more climbs to walk in the south-north direction, but we are alone most of the time and can experience the countless colours, smells and sounds alone.
After the icy river, volcanoes await
Supposedly atypical for Iceland, the first kilometer leads through a small birch forest. Due to the climate, the trees do not grow very straight. As soon as we passed the last little tree, an ice-cold glacial river awaited us. Even in midsummer, if you can even speak of it in Iceland, the water is only slightly above zero degrees. We now have to go through there, including our 13-kilogram backpack.
On the first day, the path leads through an enchanted birch forest
Source: dpa-tmn
It’s “pure thrills,” says student Amadeus from Austria, who is running the trail for the second time. “Once you’re in the water, it’s fine. Coming out is then the horror,” he says. “It feels like thousands of needle pricks hitting your feet in a matter of seconds.” Thankfully, that pain stops quickly.
The author crossing a glacial river
Source: dpa-tmn
The path then leads us into a volcanic landscape, crossed by small rivers. A small wooden bridge goes over a heavily overgrown gorge. Just now you could see many different shades of green along the watercourse, but a few meters further on an ash desert begins. The narrow path seems infinitely wide due to the expanse of ash to the right and left of the path. The silence in this inhospitable landscape is indescribable.
At some distance, the Laugavegur passes the Markarfljotsgljufur gorge
Quelle: Getty Images/Kelly Cheng
The lava ash crunches under your feet, it hasn’t rained for days – a rare hiking experience in Iceland. Halfway through the almost 15-kilometer starting stage, there is time to rest at a single tree between hills. “A tree! The first for days,” says a happy German-speaking couple walking past from the opposite direction.
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The ash landscape seems to have no end, one goes and goes. One understands why such areas in Iceland were practiced for moon landings. Eyjafjallajökull, from which we are actually walking away, doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller.
At the end of the first day, the cabins and tents of the Emstrur campsite appear
Source: dpa-tmn
At some point we see many colorful tents. Our campsite. Those who book in good time can stay in huts, but there are also a few toilets and glacier water for brushing teeth available for campers.
A desert of dark ash
Summer in Iceland means that it practically never gets dark. The sun rises at around 4 a.m. at this time of the year. The most beautiful sound when waking up in the tent is the silence. Because that means: It doesn’t rain, perfect conditions for hiking. “It’s the first day this year that you can start hiking with a t-shirt in the sun,” says a local guide as we tackle the first climb past the huts. Almost 20 degrees!
More tips for holidays in Iceland:
In 2022, around 12,000 people walked Laugavegur, says Ingunn Sigurðardóttir of the Ferðafélag Islands Hiking Association. “That’s close to our numbers before Corona.” In my opinion, it’s a bit of a shame that the campsites and cabins can be reached by off-road vehicle – you see cars every now and then and you realize that you’re not so far away from everything is as you thought.
The second day of hiking starts again with ash – in every imaginable shade of gray and black. It’s hard to walk, like walking on a sandy beach. You feel like you’re stuck because the landscape looks identical for miles.
A river makes its way through the lava landscape
What: Getty Images/Jean-Baptiste Parpant
I’m caught by my gaze through the dark desert of ash when we hear a rippling and gurgling – a mountain river. At ten to twelve meters it is the widest and mightiest on this tour.
Since the water is knee-deep, the motto is: take off your hiking pants, take off your shoes and clench your teeth. Then it goes uphill and downhill and for the first time past snowfields. Today’s destination is on a large mountain lake, with snow-covered volcanoes in the background.
Fire and Ice in a surreal landscape
The night is stormy, it’s raining. But soon the sun will shine again. And the next river is waiting. Here we need almost 30 minutes to find the right place for the crossing.
Shortly after the river begins the steep ascent to about 1000 meters. A bit depressing that hikers from the other direction are constantly coming towards you in a very relaxed manner. But the effort is worth it. The higher you go, the more impressive the view becomes, as long as the weather cooperates, as it does here. On a clear day you can see an old friend, Eyjafjallajökull.
Another world begins here. No more green. Now we are accompanied by countless snowfields. Between them there are always hot springs from which smoke rises. Ice and fire side by side, it looks surreal.
Between Álftavatn and Hrafntinnusker: Steam rises from hot springs, snowfields lie right next to them
Source: dpa-tmn
A waterfall gently nestles down on a rock. The smell of rotten eggs fills your nostrils – the smell of sulphur. In some places you can feel the warmth of the springs under your feet.
Now you have to cross several snowfields, some of which are more than 100 meters long. Mindfulness is important here. Channels are formed under such snowfields, through which the meltwater flows down the mountain. In these places the ice can be very thin. If you’re not careful, you’ll break in.
Shortly before Hrafntinnusker, the highest hut on the trail, you have to cross one of the many snowfields
Source: dpa-tmn
We reach the highest hut on the trail. Normally, the third stage ends here, after almost twelve kilometers. When we arrive, however, the innkeeper advises us to keep walking. “There will be severe storms tomorrow!”
The Hrafntinnusker hut is at an altitude of around 1050 meters. Because the innkeeper warns of storms, we continue without an overnight stay
Source: dpa-tmn
So we walk the last twelve kilometers to Landmannalaugar. Even if your feet hurt.
Hot springs and colorful mountains
On the way to our destination we once again pass several hot springs. Hot water squirts out of a hole in the rock – we call it “the spitting monster”. The water comes out of the ground with temperatures of up to 100 degrees and it seems to bubble endlessly. The colored background at the springs with its shades of blue is a real splash of color in the landscape.
It goes down into the valley. Suddenly the landscape is completely different from the past few days. As we descend we see colorful mountains in green, blue, red and yellow on the left. In contrast, the lava rocks on the right seem almost monotonous.
Descend to Landmannalaugar, the destination of the Laugavegur trek: the mountains behind are dotted with snowfields
Source: dpa-tmn
At the end of the hike we cross an old lava field covered with moss again. The path meanders until the view opens onto countless tents: Landmannalaugar. As a reward at the finish, a jump into the river right next to the campsite awaits. And this time it doesn’t cost any effort: a hot spring transforms it into a pleasant bathtub.
Tips and information for Iceland:
Getting there: In summer, direct flights from various airlines to Reykjavík from several German airports. From there in three to four hours to Landmannalaugar or Thorsmörk in the south of the island.
The hiking path: Laugavegur is around 55 kilometers long. It is recommended to split it up over four days. There are six cabins and campsites along the trail run by the hiking association Ferðafélag Íslands. On his website (in English), he also lists all the information that is necessary for planning the hike: fi.is/en
travel time: Hiking season on Laugavegur usually starts on June 25th and runs until September 25th. The author walked the trail in August.
Meals: It is advisable to take provisions with you for the entire duration of the hike. Except for bars in the huts, there is nothing to buy along the way. Drinking water does not have to be carried along. There are enough rivers, you don’t have to filter their water.
Additional Information: Wanderverein Travel Association of Iceland: fi.is/en; Tourismusorganisation Visit Iceland: de.visiticeland.com; Icelandic Tourist Board: ferdamalastofa.is/en
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