2018 Iceland Trekking

The aim was to complete an unsupported a 24-day trekking expedition of the Icelandic Suðurlands, and to experience the wilderness and unique terrain formed by the heavy volcanic activity in the country. From late June to mid-July the group of four, three of whom were Imperial students, would summit some of the most well-known volcanoes, and accomplish an aerial survey of Eyjafjallajokull, which famously erupted in 2010. 

After relaxing at a hot spring centre in Reykjavik, the team took the bus to Laugarvatn, the trail starting point. They walked across a snow-capped mountain range, towards a flat-topped volcano, Hlodufell, and camped in the middle of an ash desert, where they were able to enjoy views of snowy mountains. From a plateau at 1,100m, they could see the surrounding lava fields as well as the shield volcanoes, and a nearby glacier. Heading back down they passed through a cloud so thick that they couldn't see more than a few meters ahead.

Next was a tour up Lambahraun, a shield volcano with a 5 km radius. The lava fields around it offered spectacular scenery, with Intricate rock structures sprinkled with volcanic ash that caused their feet to sink in up to 10cm. They ventured into the snowy 0.5km radius which was surrounded by basalt structures. The next destination was Geysir where they able to see the geysers which are named after the location. They crossed the Fossa river barefoot into a very wet bog which continued for 10km, reaching the Stora Laxa river in a canyon 200m deep. The group found a suitable point to wade cross the ice-cold water up to their waists, before traversing the lava fields to Hekla, (1,500m), where they experienced the heat from the volcanic gases being emitted from the mysteriously red coloured volcano crater.

The group then entered the Friðland að Fjallabaki nature reserve before hiking towards Landmannalaugar through areas of snow, moss, mountains, waterfalls, lava fields and geothermal activity. They were able to boil water on a volcanic hot spring and to relax in a natural hot spring, before starting Iceland’s most popular trail, the Laugavegur, encountering long shiny fields of obsidian. It was then onto Álftavatn, passing an amazing landscape of distant mountains, a glacier, a lake and a mountain in the shape of a pyramid covered by moss.

They then headed to Thorsmork, where a climb allowed them to view deep valleys with intricate hand sculptured like rock features. Next, they started the 900 meters ascent through fog to the top of Fimmvörðuháls, which permitted the team to fly their drones to collect data from Eyjafjallajokull to generate a 3D map for volcanologists. Having been joined by a German hiker, they endured a night storm which damaged the tent, before traveling to Skogar, encountering a river punctuated with several waterfalls, the last being Skogarfoss. It was then back to Reykjavik, via Hveragerdi, where they engaged in some sightseeing.