Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.10.2017, Qupperneq 50

The bus to Hveragerði rumbles to
life in Mjódd bus station, gliding
out into the sparse mid-after-
noon traffic and cruising quickly
through the outskirts of Reykja-
vík. The tree-lined streets quickly
give way to red craters and wide
lava plains, their mossy crags cast-
ing long shadows in the low au-
tumn sun. To our left, vast plumes
of white steam gush upwards up
from the Hellisheiði power plant,
blotting out the Hengill volcano in
the distance; and to our right, the
peak of Skálafell vanishes into the
hazy clouds.
It’s only a forty minute bus
ride, but as we descend from the
Hellisheiði mountain pass, the
city already feels a world away. The
small town of Hveragerði, popula-
tion 2,333, is located in a highly
active geothermal valley with jets
of steam billowing from the sur-
rounding mountains, making
the whole area come to life with
verdant greenery. This abundant
natural resource has also been put
to practical use—the hot spring
water and cheap geothermal
electricity provide heat and light
to long terraces of greenhouses
that produce fresh vegetables and
flowers all year round. At night,
the greenhouses glow warmly,
giving the town a homey feel.
Colourful streets
We’re the only people who disem-
bark the bus at Hvergerði’s Shell
gas station. As the bus rumbles
off southwards towards Selfoss,
Vík and Höfn, we take in our sur-
roundings amidst the spitting
rain. Some nearby ruins, with
rough grass sprouting through
the cracked concrete slabs be-
neath, stand coated in graffiti .
Several nondescript industrial
units line the street, their flap-
ping flags signalling car
workshops and delivery
depots. Hveragerði,
it seems, is not the
best at first im-
pressions.
This changes
quick ly as we
w a n d e r t h e
town. Mixed in
amongst some
charming, co-
lourful resi-
dential streets
there are sev-
era l t ucked-
away cafés, an
ice cream par-
lour, a pizzeria
a nd a lehou se,
a n i m p r e s s i v e
contemporary art
gallery with several
airy spaces, and a local
fishmonger that serves
piping hot fish and chips.
Like many small Icelandic towns,
there’s much more to Hveragerði
than first meets the eye.
Our accommodation for the
coming two nights, Hotel Örk,
is a hulking white hotel that sits
just a few hundred metres from
Route One. Passing through the
smart lobby, we find a comfort-
able breakfast room with a view
of the purple mountains, and an
airy bar and restaurant that over-
looks a private pool, complete
with water slide, hot pots and
sauna. As the night draws in we
eat a delicious meal of langous-
tine, lamb, and local vegetables,
washed down with some well
mixed and well priced cocktails.
We turn in satisfied, and excited
for the morning.
Ochre and umber
Hveragerði is perhaps most fa-
mous for the Reykjadalur (“Smoky
Valley”) hiking route, which
has, in recent years, gone
from being a l ittle-
known sheep trail to
the star attraction
of the area. Begin-
ning a forty min-
ute walk from the
town centre, the
well maintained
a n d c l e a r l y
marked hiking
route ascends
gently at first,
passing several
vivid cauldrons
of furiously bub-
bling mud and
some bright blue
fumaroles belch-
ing forth columns
of pungent steam.
The route soon
steepens, climbing rap-
idly into a dusty mountain
pass that yields spectacular
views of the distant glittering
sea, crossing deep, waterfall-
strewn valleys. The ochre and
umber scree slopes glow in the
afternoon sun, set off by the ma-
roon, orange and purple tones as
the landscape shifts into a vivid
autumn palette.
The smoky river
On the other side of the moun-
tain lies Reykjadalur, where a
hot geothermal river meanders
down the valley. As luck would
have it, in some places the water
is perfect bathing temperature.
We stride up the riverbank, cross-
ing foot bridges, picking berries,
filling our bottles in a freshwa-
ter stream, and passing through
clouds of sulphurous steam be-
fore arriving at the bathing place.
A few years ago, bathers at
Reykjadalur would hastily strip
on the muddy bank and hop into
the gently flowing river, usually
with a cooler full of beer within
arm’s reach. Recent improve-
ments mean there’s now a wood-
en boardwalk that lines each bank
of the river at the most temperate
spot, with simple changing sta-
tions, steps down into the water,
and small rocky dams that create
separate pools every few metres
to accommodate more people.
Reykjadalur’s previous wild
and untouched charm has been
altered by the introduction of
the manmade facilities, but once
we slip into the water, any such
concerns are quickly forgotten.
We drift away and let the hot,
burbling river knead the knots
out of our tired muscles. Spells of
drizzle and sunlight come and go,
with the churning clouds and blue
skies silhouetting the towering
peaks that line the valley. Bathing
at Reykjadalur is a divine way to
spend some time absorbed in the
Icelandic wilderness.
Several hours pass quickly, and
it’s only when the light dims and
evening closes in that we finally
pull ourselves back onto land.
We dry off in the fresh mountain
air and start back towards Hver-
agerði with a smile on our faces
and a spring in our step.
SHARE & PHOTO GALLERY:
gpv.is/travel
Into The Smoky Valley
A hike into Reykjadalur, the star attraction of Hveragerði
How to get there
Drive Route One South from Reykjavík
Accommodation provided by:
hotelork.is
Book a trip:
Contact Hákon via info@thh.is Words & Photos: John Rogers
“We
stride
up the river-
bank, crossing
foot bridges,
picking berries,
filling our bot-
tles in freshwater
streams, and
passing through
clouds of sul-
phurous
steam.”
50 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 18 — 2017
The lighthouse at Kalsoy
A river runs through it. "It" being Hveragerði
Bus travel provided by:
straeto.is