Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.05.2011, Blaðsíða 25

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31
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 5 — 2011
Words
Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir
Photography
Julia Staples / Louise Petersson
Travel | Sights
FIVE PLACES YOU SHOULD SEE /
TRIPS YOU SHOULD TAKE
ESJA—THAT BIG MOUNTAIN OVER THERE
Close to the heart of every Reykjaviking—literally as
well as metaphorically—is the mountain range Esja,
located just north of Mosfellsbær, about a 20 km
drive from the city centre. The most popular desti-
nation, the Þverfellshorn peak, can be reached by
hiking routes of varying length and difficulty. At 720
metres above sea level, the peak offers an unbeat-
able panoramic view of Reykjavík, Hvalfjörður, the
Snæfellsjökull glacier, as well as the North Atlantic.
For the experienced hiker taking the shortest—and
most difficult—route, the ascent can take as little as
90 minutes, but even shorter walks not ending at
the top provide a view of diverse flora and vegeta-
tion. This is an activity that Icelanders enjoy year-
round.
HVALFJöRðUR—THE FORGOTTEN DETOUR
Since the tunnel opened under its mouth in 1998,
the fjord of Hvalfjörður has become something of
a half-remembered nightmare for many who think
of it merely in the past tense, as that “extra hour”
of driving required when taking Highway 1 north
out of Reykjavík. For better or for worse, what is
now ignored by the more than 5.000 cars opting
for the tunnel each day is a natural refuge at the
fjord’s deepest point—about 30 km in—wherein lie
two valleys, a lake, and Iceland’s highest waterfall,
Glymur, standing at 198 metres tall. This hiking trip
is not recommended during the winter months, for
the area can be slippery and the waterfall may dry
up or freeze.
JöKULSáRLóN— A MAGNIFICENT GLACIER
LAGOON
This one is kind of obvious. We’re talking about
the largest glacier lagoon in Iceland. Whatever,
we’re talking about a glacier lagoon. Small ice-
bergs floating around in a lake formed when the
Breiðamerkurjökull glacier began receding away
from the Atlantic. The bay is easily accessible off
Route 1 in southeastern Iceland, between Skaftafell
National Park and Höfn. Though the lagoon is im-
pressive year-round, the ideal time to see it is no
doubt during the winter months, when the icebergs
and the glacier are at peak-size and condition.
LAUGAVEGUR— THIS IS NOT A CASUAL
STROLL
Between Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk in the
south of Iceland is ‘Laugavegur’, a 54 km hike of-
fering an incredibly diverse range of landscape.
Disclaimer: this is a serious (read: at times DAN-
GEROUS) undertaking. People do die doing this.
But if you’re well prepared (the weather can change
remarkably rapidly, at any time of year) and don’t go
outside the marked route, you probably will be fine.
People do live after doing this, also. Most people,
in fact. The hike is recommended in the summer,
and buses start running trips between mid-June
and mid-August. Do Laugavegur as a day-trip, or
take the full tour in between three and five days. Or,
you could run it in about five hours. People do that
too. And live.
KRýSUVÍK— A GEOLOGICAL WONDER
Krýsuvík is a geothermal area on the Reykjanes
peninsula, a few kilometres southwest of Reykja-
vík. The area is located on a fissure zone on the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and is thus populated by lava
fields and sulphur and hot springs. Underwater hot
springs were recently discovered in nearby Klei-
farvatn, and diving tours are offered year-round as
long as the lake is not frozen over—which it is awful
likely to be between November–February.