Fimmvörðuháls Trail

The Fimmvörðuháls Trail. As tough to say as it is to pass. Our most challenging and rewarding hike. Iceland is a country like no other. Unspoilt. Raw. Rugged. We will definitely go back.

The journey began at Skógar, heading inland along the trail to Thórsmörk. We were instantly greeted by Skógarfoss - an impressive, imposing, 60m waterfall. Crashing down from above and spreading out into a rippling pool that gently flowed over the smaller volcanic stones at its base. Next to it, a pretty much vertical climb onto the top.

It was sunny. There were clear skies. We could see the glaciers and mountains ahead and the sea behind us. The earthy, mossy tundra was often broken up by passing over or through rocks. Eventually, we met the snow. Crisp. White. It seemed to carry on forever. Metre poles were buried more or less to the top. It gradually wore us down but with coffee and Maryland cookies (a staple part of our Icelandic diet), we kept going.

We were rewarded at the summit. Pure, white snow under foot. Clear, blue skies over head. The sun beaming down. Complete silence. We felt as if we could see the curvature of the Earth and we were standing on top of the world.

Slightly further on were Magni and Móði, the two craters left by the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier. Try saying that after climbing nearly 1100m in the snow! Then it was time to descend. Tumbling down a snow covered slope, it was easier to simply give up and let our bodies fall over themselves like when you were young. It was fun, and a welcome relief to the hard work of the hike so far.

We crossed an ice covered plateau before teaming up with some Icelanders to scoot down the final drop. Sliding down what felt like a sheer rock face on our bums in convoy was recommended by our new friends, but still a bit tense. Once down we walked over one more hill then back on terra firma. It was so much easier without the snow.

The landscape had changed again. Green, grey mountains towering around us and a rocky path ahead. Chiselled into the rocks, ropes were often the only way to swing around obstacles and continue onwards. We went over the well known Cats Spine - roughly three feet across and a sheer drop on either side. We went over on our hands and knees!

We let our legs roll down the rest of the trail until we reached the bottom. Everything had changed again. It was warm, bright, calm and still. We were expecting a simple pick up point but it actually turned out to be an Icelandic camp site complete with log cabins., barbeques, beers and singing. We were exhausted. We managed to buy a drink from the woman running the place and slumped down on the grass. Sun beating down, we had earned the rest.

Best. Beer. Of. Our. Lives.