Brigitte’s trek the Langarvegur Trek in Iceland

What a treat the Langarvegur Trek was.. with its colourful mountains, in hues of pink, orange and green  and patched with  snow, triangular volcanic hills, the eerie steam  gently spiraling from earth, the clear water of Alftavan Lake and ice caves.  However it was a mentally challenging trek.   We only found out the night before we left that two thirds of the walk could be trudging into snow as it was still early in the season. This was further confirmed by the warden at the Landmannalaugar Hut. He further explained that often the only landmarks were trekkers footsteps as the markers were still buried in snow.  So it was with dread that we started only first walking day from Landmannalagur Hut to Hrafntinnusker Hut.  Not only were there kilometres of snow but we often transitioned to slippery volcanic rocks and walked on narrow ledges falling off by erosion.  Negotiating these ledges without walking sticks was pure hell.

Even the delight of soaking in the hot springs at Landmannalaugar Hut came with a challenge badge as after the warm springs, the option was either undress in freezing temperatures in sight of everyone or dashed off 500 m in bathers to the abulation block.

At Hrafntinnusker Hut the camping spots were circled by walls of rocks to protect the tents from the howling winds. Going to the pit toilet was a feat as we had to cross a field of snow to reach it.  Pitching on volcanic rock is nearly impossible and we often had to weigh down our tent with rocks as the pegs were useless.

However the gods were smiling on us as despite the very grim weather on the first day, no rain bothered us for the rest of the trip.

The walk got easier as we gradually ate our rations and our packs lightened. The scenery became more grey as we trekked in the dusty volcanic fields. The streams and river crossing were refreshing however at times the strong current would threaten to trip us over. After 6 days in the wilderness we were ready for hot chips and beer at the Volcano Bar however even this was denied to us – only soup, bread and salad were available. We also added a few more kilometres to our last trekking day as we discovered that our bus back to Rejkavik left 2 kilometres away from the Volcano Bar.

As the photos will attest, it is a highly recommended trek with beautiful photo opportunities but which ideally should be walked later in the season to avoid the snowy conditions.