Hiking

Weekend tripping around the south and Reykjavik / June 8, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

How do you top going to the Westfjords? Well, it is difficult, but there is always something new to look at in Iceland and a long overdue trip to Vík í Mýrdal and the surrounding area could be a good start.

I had a few friends visit us here from Scotland. It all started from the bus station in Reykjavik on Thursday morning. We traveled south east along the tourist trail of Route 1 to Vík í Mýrdal.

Our first stop was the iconic Seljalandsfoss waterfall and a smaller secret (ish) waterfall just 10 minutes away called Gljúfrabúi. This smaller waterfall is tucked away in a gorge on the same length of cliffs that Seljalandsfoss is located, but with less tour buses.

When we reappeared out of the waterfall gorge we heard sirens and noticed a helicopter coming into land at Seljalandsfoss. Apparently someone had climbed up the side of the waterfall on the steep embankment and fallen and broken his leg.

A teenager broke his leg and was air lifted away from the Seljalandsfoss area.

We left the craziness of the Seljalandsfoss area and headed toward Vik, only to stop at the glacier cafe just off route 1. It was only a short walk up to the head of Sólheimajökul glacier, which was awesome.

We then drove onto Dyrhólaey lighthouse via the sketchiest 4x4 track ever. Seriously, I had the car on three wheels at one point and it is a Skoda Octavia rather than a proper 4x4! It was cool! Now, I did not take any pictures of the lighthouse because I couldn't get the right composition without a million tourists in the way. Needless to say, it is a great place to visit and has some great views along the coast.

The view along the black beach towards Vik.

Well, after checking out the lighthouse and awesome views we drove just south of Vik and then turned north up a dirt track and drove for 14km to Þakgil camp site. It started raining on the way to the campsite, but that did not dampen our spirits as the landscape was out-of-this-world.

Looking out over a very wet valley at þórsmörk from the road.

It took us about 50 minutes to get to the campsite and it was great fun driving, and well worth it when we arrived. The campsite was a large flat field space surrounded by hills on all but three sides. What a great find!

Double Kev at Þakgil camp site. Thanks Shane for the photo.

We pitched my tent and made our way into a cave...yes a cave...to make dinner and chat to the other local tourists.

The next morning we packed, had breakfast, coffee...two coffees...and headed back to Vik and then on to Reykjavik. We did stop briefly at the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach and the basalt columns, but the weather was still dull and grey, so we hit the road just after a tourist bus spewed forth its contents of visitors.

We did however make one last stop before heading back to Reykjavik, and if you have been reading my blogs you will know I am big fan of...HOT POOLS! Seljavallalaug outdoor swimming pool is just off the main road and down a dirt road and then a walk...so it does require a bit of navigation and planning to get there. When we got to the pool it was lovely and sunny again with the clouds rolling over us and bright patches of sunshine pouring through onto the mountain side. Very peaceful.

Seljavallalaug from above. That is Shane's head just on the left side of the pool.

Shane taking his yearly bath in the pool.

After a nice soak we walked back to the car and had lunch and headed back to Reykjavik to meet another friend who had just arrived, Becs.

After a good dinner and some wine we decided to stay up late to watch the northern midnight sunset over the horizon from the Sólfar and what a sunset! You should check out my new updated Sólfar image on my site too!

That was one of the best sunsets I have seen in a long time and it was shared with great friends.

The next day we hiked up one of my favorite local hills, Móskarðshnjúkar, which is just outside Reykjavik. The location feels like you are in the wilds of Iceland for very little traveling time.

Heading towards the hill.

Nothing but Lupines.

The top of the hike is just to the left.

Last push to the top.

Happy hikers on the summit.

Summit selfie.

This is the hill.

What a great hike, and the weather was nice for all of it too.

The last day of the weekend the three of us (Aimee left for the UK) hiked up a small hill just south of Reykjavik called Helgafell and visited the geothermal fields at Krisuvik. It is a great place for a very short walk around some amazingly colourful geothermal activity.

That last night we ate and drank in downtown Reykjavik. We managed to get the best seats outside the Sæta Svínið Gastropub in the sunshine.

What a great way to finish a great weekend! and now for next weekend...ferries, the Westmann Islands, and the largest colony of puffins in the world! I can't wait.

Cheers,

Kev

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The mighty Westfjords of Iceland. / June 3, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

Wow! I mean like WOW!

If anyone I know wants to visit Iceland in the future and asks me for what I consider to be the real wild Iceland (without renting a 4x4) I will be telling them all about the Westfjords.

The Plan

We planned to drive a loop of the Westfjords (1,052km) over a long weekend. We would drive a few hours every day, and do some hiking along the way to break the driving up. The plan and route was as follows:

Friday: Pick Aimee up from work and drive up to Hólmavík (Population 375) and stay overnight at a hostel.

Saturday: Drive from Hólmavík to Ísafjörður (Population 2,559) with a stop somewhere to stretch our legs on a hike. We had booked into a self catering accommodation in the center of the town.

Sunday: Drive from Ísafjörður to Tálknafjörður (Population 306) with a stop planned at the amazing Dynjandi Foss. This time we would spend the night in our tent at the local camp site at Tálknafjörður.

Monday: Drive from Tálknafjörður to Reykhólar (Population 120) with another hike along the way. We would be spending our last night in the tent, but it would be right next to an outdoor swimming pool with hot pool. Not to bad really.

Tuesday: Drive from Reykhólar to Reykjavik (Population 123,246), so that Aimee could get back to work.

A lot of driving, but it was well worth it and we will be going back, it is just to good not too!

Friday and Saturday: Hiking in the rain and big waterfalls.

After a few hours drive from Reykjavik we arrived at Hólmavík late on Friday evening. It is a very small village in the Westfjords. It was wet and grey when we arrived, but it cleared up by on Saturday morning. We stayed in a hostel right on the seafront near an amazing harbour and church. It was so quiet and idyllic you almost forgot you were in Iceland.

We left Hólmavík and traveled onto Ísafjörður. It rained most of the way which was a shame because we really wanted to go for a hike. We could not find anything on the map that might be a hiking route, until we rounded the end of a fjord and discovered a hiking sign.

The rain was so bad that I didn't take my DSLR with me, but I wish I had, as after a small walk of 2km we found Valagil waterfall. It was tucked away and fell from the very top of the mountain to the valley floor. It was a great site to behold in the rain.

We arrived in Ísafjörður late that evening just as the weather cleared up and walked around the largest town in the Westfjords. The clouds and the light were amazing. We were lucky to get dinner at a seafood restaurant that serves an all you can eat seafood buffet. The food was outstanding and I would highly recommend going, but make sure you make a reservation, as it is only open for dinner from 7pm until 10pm and it is very busy. They don't have a website but you can find information on their Facebook page.

Clouds over the mountains near Ísafjörður.

Sunday: Hiking up a lonely mountain and the best outdoor swimming pool ever!

We woke an amzing day with sunshine, blue skies and fluffy clouds. So after breakfast, we packed the car and headed for Tálknafjörður from Ísafjörður. We had found an an area just south of Ísafjörður to go for a hike and hopefully get some nice views.

Morning reflections across Ísafjörður harbour.

We drove from Ísafjörður into a long tunnel that cut straight through the hillside to the next fjord.

Reflections in the water after the tunnel.

The scenery along the road was stunning. Great sharp mountains that rose almost vertically up from near sea level to way above our heads. The road guided us around these giants onto our destination of Þingeyri were we would start our hike up Arnarnupur (558m).

It was a short, sharp hike and we made the plateau very quickly and reached the top in time for lunch. My favorite time!

Looking back from the top of Arnarnupur to Þingeyri

The view from the top was spectacular and right on the edge of a massive cliff to the sea. What a great spot for lunch! But time waits for no man or woman...so we descended back along the same path and back to the car to have a cup of coffee, before setting off across the fjords to Tálknafjörður.

High roads in June, In Iceland! Awesome.

After the spectacular hike we drove onto our next overnight location. This was an interesting drive as a lot of the roads are dirt track, and there is still snow in places in May. We deseneded down into the next fjords and drove along the rough track to the head of the fjord. As we reached the end of the fjords we came across an amazing site...an outdoor swimming pool!

We shared this amazing experience with one other couple and left just as four other cars full of people arrived. It was so relaxing we almost camped there for the night, but we had one more place that I wanted to stop and visit.

Dynjandi waterfall is a site to behold. A massive waterfall of over 100m high and you can walk right up to it, and stand directly below it. The waterfall is magnificent and quite difficult to get a scaled photograph. I did try but it was late in the evening now, and it was very busy with other tourists like us.

Dynjandi waterfall. Notice the people near the top for scale.

We left this waterfall behind us to go to our camp site in Tálknafjörður and slept well after a very packed day of adventuring.

Monday: Waking up to go to the best hot pool ever and then a hike.

The last day of our trip and what is the best way to start the day...outdoor hot pool! We had it all to ourselves for the first half an hour and it was so tranquil. There are three pools; one hot and deep with benches to sit on, one shallow and cold, and one shallow and warm, so you can rotate around all three and be at the perfect temperature.

Once bathed and relaxed we headed back to the camp site, packed, had breakfast and got back on the road again to our final destination. Reykhólar . We did stop on the way for a quick hike to stretch our legs and got some great views.

After the hike we pushed onto our campsite at Reykhólar, where there was another outdoor swimming pool and hot pool. This one is run by the council so no pictures, but it was great to get another relaxing soak in at the end of the day.

In the kicthen making dinner...it was very windy.

Table for two...I was taking the picture.

Tuesday: Reykjavik - Early morning start and home.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. We woke up super early, packed the tent and left to get back to Reykjavik. But I will be back, as there is so much more to explore!

Thanks for reading this really long blog. I will try keeping it shorter in the future, but there was so much fun to be had over the weekend I just couldn't help writing about it!

Cheers,

Kev

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Try saying this after a few beers...Snæfellsnes Peninsula. / May 17, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

It has been two weeks since my last post, as I have been very busy exploring the amazing landscapes of Iceland. Over the weekend of 5th May, friends and I traveled north from Reykjavik to explore the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The weather was AMAZING! Blue skies and sunshine. A great combination for a road trip adventure.

Driving up to the Snæfellsnes peninsula from Reykjavik.

It is about a two hour drive directly to our hostel at Grundarfjörður but we decided to stop on the way to find the Rauðamelsölkelda mineral spring. It is a short drive off the main road and down a dirt road, but well worth it.

Waterfall at Rauðamelsölkelda mineral spring.

Drinking from Rauðamelsölkelda mineral spring. Tasty.Photo by: Mike Guarino Photography. — Drinking from Rauðamelsölkelda mineral spring. Tasty.
Photo by: Mike Guarino Photography.

The spring is just to the right of the waterfall, and is like drinking fizz water. On the way out, or on the way in, you pass the Gerðuberg Cliffs. These cliffs are very prominent and distinct, and you can get right up close to them, even on top to get great views.

Sitting on the Gerðuberg Cliffs.Photo by: Mike Guarino Photography. — Sitting on the Gerðuberg Cliffs.
Photo by: Mike Guarino Photography.

We drove up and over the peninsula in the glorious sunshine and bright blue skies. It was beautiful and arrived at Grundarfjörður. It was so nice that we decided to hike the famous and most photographed mountain in Iceland. Kirkjufell mountain..

The mountain rises up from sea level and has no direct trail to the top. This trail is not for the faint-hearted and I would only ever attempt this when the weather is good and the conditions are dry. We got lost at one point and I ended up on a knife edge of a cliff looking directly at a seagull on its nest. Oops!

Kirkjufell mountain elevation profile.

There are three sets of ropes to climb over areas that are very steep, including the last rope at the top which is very exposed. You really need a head for heights for this hike.

View from the top of Kirkjufellmountain.

If you do make it to the top the views are out of this world, especially on a day like we managed to get. There was not a cloud in the sky!

Once we completed the hike we went to stay at the clean and well kept hostel at Grundarfjörður.

I did spend sometime taking a few images of the famous Kirkjufell mountain in the evening, but the real treat was in the morning. I awoke, or to be precise, I didn't sleep very well as I was not sure if I should get up early but eventually got out of bed at 6:30am and went to see the amazing morning light. Below is one of the many images I created and is now on my website here.

Kirkjufell mountain with Kirkjufellsfoss in the foreground.

After being up so early I had the whole day in front of me, so went for a small walk just north east of Grundarfjörður up Eyrarhyrna. We then headed east to Ólafsvík for some ice cream in the sun. The route home would take us up and over the peninsula and once over onto the south side it was very foggy, grey and cloudy. I think we got a lucky break with the weather, as the mountains along peninsula seemed to be holding back the bad weather.

Driving around the Snæfellsnes peninsula and back to Reykjavik.

What an amazing weekend with some great weather and some amazing hiking. I will be back to visit the peninsula as I never made it to the end, or hiked the Snæfell mountain.

I hope you all enjoyed this blog and there is still my week adventure to the glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón, and some crazy weather. Iceland is an amazing place.

Thanks,

Kev

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P.S.

Although the weather on the way home was not as sunny and bright as it had been on the way up, we did manage to locate one of Iceland's little gems of a hot pool...Landbrotalaug. This is only big enough for four people and we were lucky as there was no one there when we arrived. Perfect.

Hiking in the wild. / May 4, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

The weather in Iceland for the last week has been wet! I mean it has been raining for days! No fun! Now I don't mind hiking in the "weather" but not when it is pouring down with rain to begin with. That being said I have managed to get out and try to take some pictures, it is just the light doesn't always cooperate.

Hike 1 - Hvalvatn lake.

I have hiked towards this lake twice now via a Western approach trail to Gymur falls, but have never quite made it to the Hvalvatn lake or the summit of Hvalfell. This time I wanted to try and catch the sunset over Hvalvatn, and approached the lake from the West. I drove up as far as I could in my Skoda Octavia 4X4 estate, before the "roads" turned into a serious 4X4 track only, and hiked the rest.

I started at 5:00pm and the sunset was about 9:45pm, and I had a long way to go. The weather started with hail and wind, and thankfully eased off. It never really cleared however it did provide me with some amazing images of the snowy hills against the storm filled clouds. (New website Image!)

Unfortunately, I never made it to the lake, as the light was not in my favour and it was getting late. I reluctantly headed back, and as you can see from the GPS route below I still had a long way to go. The elusive Hvalvatn lake and Hvalfell will have to wait for another day.

Lesson learned today, always give yourself more time than you think.

Hike 2 - Pverfell.

Fast forward a few days and the sun is splitting the sky in Reykjavik, so I am up and out to see if I can go further into the wilds. Travelling just under an hour and half to hike Pverfell, and see if I could take a few images of the lake behind it. The greatest and worst thing about Iceland is the weather. I had only just left Reykjavik and it started raining, but I pushed on.

As you can see, a short route, but it was nice to be away on my own in the wilderness.

The light and weather seemed to be against me again, as when I reached the summit the clouds came in and engulfed me in fog. So no view today, but it was great to get more experience hiking in Iceland.

Hugging the cairn at the top of Pverfell.

What a great few days hiking and there is still so much more to see!

This weekend I am going to the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the famous Kirkjufell mountain and then next week down South East to Jökulsárlón to see the glacier lagoon and do some hiking in the Vatnajökull national park!

I can't wait, but the blog may have to wait until I get back.

Onward to the summer and camping in the wild.

Cheers

Kev

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Hiking in the snow in Iceland. / April 28, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

Last weekend, Aimee and I went hiking up a mountain called Móskarðshnjúkar. It is a height of 807m (2647ft) and is a simply 9.2 kilometer (5.7 mile) there and back trip. It is only 20 minutes’ drive from Reykjavik, but it is well worth it as you feel like you are miles away from anybody.

Móskarðshnjúkar. It is the furthest right in this picture.

Móskarðshnjúkar is still very much covered in snow and we were the first people to hike it since the last snowfall. This meant that we post holed across the higher sections of the mountain, in our crampons and with our ice axes out. It was wild and very windy but what a great view!

Aimee on the last push to the top with Reykjavik in the background and Esja.

The view from top was spectacular, and we had not met anyone all day. This was until the summit where we bumped into a pair of hikers who had skis! They proceeded to pick a line down in the fresh snow and ski down. Very cool, and the best way to get down! I think I need a split board and bindings.

Unfortunately, we didn't stay on the summit for long due to the biting cold wind and the weather on the horizon looked like they it might close in from the north. Still we headed down very happy with our accomplishment and stopped further down for lunch overlooking Esja and Reykjavik.

Esja on the right and Rejkjavik in the background.

What a great days hike and with fantastic weather. I am looking forward to more of this in the future.

But, maybe I should buy a splitboard and skins to make the return journey more interesting.

Kev

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Me, on the saddle just before the top of Móskarðshnjúkar

Snow, hot pools, hiking and fjords. / April 19, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

I am falling in love with Iceland! WOW! What an amazing place, if you can get past the wind, rain, snow, and cold...that usually happens all in one day.

If I am honest, I like "weather" and I like that you have to work with the elements to explore. It goves you an enoumours sense of achievement.

Easter weekend in northern Iceland.

Day 1 - Reykjavik to Skagafjörður.

Standing in the wind on top of the Grábrók Crater...Just.

The drive up to Skagafjörður was a few hours but we broke up the driving with a few stops. Just north of Borgarnes there is a crater at Grábrók, which is a short walk around an old extinct crater. Great place, but very, very windy!

As the drive continued I had to stop to admire a snowy pass when the sun came out with amazing blue skies. The whole scene just glowed in the evening sun! Truly beautiful.

Hot pool at Grettislaug. Thank you Aoife M for the image. — Hot pool at Grettislaug.
Thank you Aoife M for the image.

The last planned stop before the end of day was in Grettislaug hot pot. This is a short drive off the main road about 20km down a gravel track. At the end of the track there are two small hot pot/pools, and a cafe. Relaxing in this quiet pool with the occasional dip into the icy cold sea was idyllic.

But sadly, all too brief, as the sun was setting and our hostel, Mirco Bar and Bed was waiting. Skagafjörður is not far and after dinner and a few very good craft beers, it was time for bed.

Day 2 - Skagafjörður to Akureyri.

Next day we were up early from the hostel and out along the Tröllaskagi (Troll Peninsula). This area is the most northerly I have ever been. But we did manage to get a great view for lunch, and what a view! Next stop was Siglufjörður, which is a small town that would provide us with a small hike in the snow and the best Swiss Moca ever! Yum!

Hiking in the snow on the avalanche barrier.

Then it was onto our final destination...Akureyri.

Day 3 - Lava fields, Grjótagjá cave and hot pool.

Guess what, back into the car we go! Today it is off to walk across an old lava field and up a crater, followed by a dip in the Myvatn Nature Baths. Not to shabby for a day when the light was grey and the temperatures where cold! Brrr!

Oh OK...we also stopped at Goðafoss waterfall, which is amazing! You get so close and you get a real sense of water flow. I will have to come back to get a better image of this iconic waterfall.

Day 4 - Mt Súlur Hike.

Wakey, wakey time for hike. Blue skies and sunshine and fresh snow, what a great day for it too!

The chosen hill was Mt Súlur, just behind Akureyri. It took 6 hours to do the round trip, with most of it post holing all the way up. But the views on the way up where amazing, with fresh snow, and bright sunshine.

Hike up Mt  Súlur. The bright one on the right. — Hike up Mt Súlur. The bright one on the right.

Sadly no view from the top but well worth the hike.

Day 5 - Akureyri to Reykjavik.

Like all good things, they must come to an end. We left Akureyri for the long four and half hour drive home. We did stop at one of the last surviving turf roof churches in Iceland where we met a new friend.

Lights, camera, action.

A great few days away, with some great stops. I will have to go back up north and try and get some more images with better light. Unfortunately the "weather" was not quite as sunny and bright as I had hoped, but that means I will just have to go back!

Not a bad thing in the least.

The gang of adventurers on top of Hverfall Crater.Aoife, Aimee, Me, and Tim in the background (he is having fun...honest!) — The gang of adventurers on top of Hverfall Crater.
Aoife, Aimee, Me, and Tim in the background (he is having fun...honest!)

Well, I hope you enjoyed the pictures and stories, until the next time.

Kev

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Easter adventures. / April 12, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

Well, that is school finished! I was learning beginner Icelandic for 4 weeks, and now it is all over. What a great few weeks and I got to meet some amazing people from all over the world!

Now the long Easter weekend approaches and I am heading away to get some images from the fjords and mountains of northern Iceland. First leg will be up to Sauðárkrókur which is a little under 4hrs of driving to stay at an Airbnb.

The next morning it will be up to Akureyri via the Tröllaskagi (Troll peninsula) to stay for the next few days before the long drive back on Monday.

I am hoping to get some good weather and early morning sunrises, with maybe a waterfall or two thrown in for good measure. Fingers crossed the weather will be clear, cold and sunny.

Below is an image I took last weekend when doing a small hike up Helgafell, which is just outside Reykjavik. The landscape here changes so dramatically and so quickly, it is awe inspiring!

Helgafell and lave flow, Iceland.Click the image for a full screen image. — Helgafell and lave flow, Iceland.
Click the image for a full screen image.

Airplanes and black beaches in the dark. / April 5, 2017 by Kevin Hatcher

How do you top the Northern lights? It is very difficult and unfortunately conditions have not been right to see them again since. The skies have been cloudy and the Northern light activity has been low, so no more Northern lights at the moment. However...

Skógafoss and the iconic airplane at Sólheimasandur

Map and directions to Skogafoss and the abbanonded airplane site

Time for another long drive to visit the Skógafoss waterfall and the abandoned plane wreck. The waterfall is about two and half hours drive from Reykjavik and is Iceland's biggest waterfall. The waterfall is very impressive but is also very busy with tourists. It was around 6pm at this point and is the highlight of any visit to Iceland and so it is to be expected.

Skógafoss from the viewing platform, Iceland.

After a few pictures, from the bottom of the waterfall I walked up to the top where there is a viewing platform. It gives you a real birds eye view of the falls and how big they really are.

Time was marching on, so it was onto the main event!

A five-minute drive from the waterfall is the car park for the abandoned airplane site and the main reason for this particular trip. The site was accessed via driving in a 4x4 down to the crash site, but tourists kept driving off trail and getting stuck which left unsightly tracks on the black beach. There is now a car park next to the main road and a 2.5 mile walk down to the site.

Looking back up the long walk back to the car park. Iceland.Click the image for a full screen image. — Looking back up the long walk back to the car park. Iceland.
Click the image for a full screen image.

I was packed with my camera gear, GPS tracker, and a head lamp as I wanted to get the sunset, and knew I would be walking back in the dark. It was a longer walk than expected or even noted in any online resource that I could find, but it was worth it. The skies where very cloudy and it didn't look like I would get any sunset or natural light, but I was wrong. Just as I arrived the sun burst out from under the clouds and gave me and a few others a brief window of amazing light to take a few pictures. I managed to get a couple of pictures.

The picture below and the latest picture on my site.

Sunset over the abandoned plane on Slheimasandur. Iceland.Click the image for a full screen image. — Sunset over the abandoned plane on Slheimasandur. Iceland.
Click the image for a full screen image.

WOW! What a cool place! Worth the walk down there, but if you do go make sure you can get back. I had been tracking myself on a GPS app, and once the sun had set it was pitch black. The plane is in a dip or hollow, and the trail up to it ends above the edge of the hollow. This means that you can't really see the trail even when the sun is up. When I started walking back I initially did not use my GPS app and walked the wrong way. I couldn't find the trail. So I reached for my GPS app and found the trail again, and walked back in the dark with my head lamp. A few others did not do this and I saw them walking around the beach area trying to find the trail. They did eventually follow my light and find the trail, but if I had not been there it would have been a much longer evening for them.

What a great place. I will return if only to get some better pictures of the waterfall, and hike into the mountains!

See ya,

Kev

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