Reykjavík Grapevine - sep. 2019, Síða 48

What do the French Revolution, na-
tional bard of Scotland Robert Burns,
and Iceland all have in common? The
answer is Laki—a volcanic fissure in
the south of Iceland that was respon-
sible for an eight-month long eruption
that began in June 1783 and ultimate-
ly, the deaths of thousands of people
worldwide. In other words, the perfect
location for a lovely countryside jaunt.
Early start (again…)
Laki, which is actually a mountain bi-
sected by the Lakagígar volcanic fis-
sure, is located in the Highlands and
is therefore only accessible during the
summer and only by 4WD. One of the
best, and more relaxing ways, to see
the area—if you don’t fancy stressful
river navigations in your rental car—
is to book a super jeep tour. Also, then
you can tell all your friends you’ve
been in a super jeep.
Our tour set off from Kirkjubæ-
jarklaustur at 8:45 AM, which unfortu-
nately for us meant leaving Reykjavík
at 5 AM. I think my editors are under
the impression that I don’t require
sleep (see also: my article on climbing
Hvannadalshnúkur), which I would
like to make clear is decidedly not the
case. Luckily, the meeting point was
the gas station, meaning we could load
up on more than enough caffeine and
pylsur to satisfy even the hangriest of
journalists, and pick up a packed lunch
for the long day ahead.
World-changing eruption
The drive from Kirkjubæjarklaustur
to the base of Laki takes just over an
hour, during which our knowledge-
able driver pointed out local sites and
explained the history of what was one
of the largest eruptions on record.
During the eruption, 14 km3 of basalt
lava was produced, which, if you’re
not great at visualising these things,
is a fucking lot. In addition to this, a
bunch of very unpleasant gasses were
released into the atmosphere, creat-
ing a mist known as the ‘Laki Haze’
which floated over Europe causing
widespread disease, crop failure and
famine. It is this effect that is credited
with instigating the French Revolu-
tion and, more weirdly, Robert Burns’
poetic output. But some impacts of the
disaster were far more obvious. An es-
timated 25% of Iceland’s human popu-
lation and 75% of animals were wiped
out in the aftermath of the eruption.
Driving through the lava fields, it is
easy to get a sense of the scale of the
catastrophe. It’s also easy to see how
life returns to an area once devastated
by lava flow, as the bumpy plains are
covered with soft, pale green moss,
lending the landscape Iceland’s char-
acteristic other-worldly feel.
Going up
At the base of Laki mountain we were
greeted by a friendly ranger. The area
in which the fissure is located now
forms part of the huge Vatnajökull
National Park, so guides are on hand
at various points to provide visitors
with information and to make sure
the rules are adhered to. These are,
predominantly, stick to the goddamn
trails. I’m looking at you, Justin Bieber.
The first hike of the day was to the
top of Laki. The path was at times
steep and slippery but well main-
tained, with crude stone steps placed
along some of the more challenging
stretches. Hiking boots are essential,
but the trail is suitable for less expe-
rienced walkers. The view from the
top takes in both Mýrdalsjökull and
Vatnajökull glaciers, as well as the
25km long chain of craters that make
up the eruption site. The weather in
the Highlands can be quite erratic, but
although the wind was punishing, the
sky was clear and we were blessed with
excellent visibility.
Celebrity spots
From Laki we made our way through
the Highlands towards the south,
stopping at various points for short
hikes and photo opportunities. My
favourite walk was around the water-
filled Tjarnargígur crater. The bright
blue lake against the surrounding
dark volcanic rock and pale moss
looked incredible.
But the final stop of the day was by
far the most famous, and that’s thanks
to a completely different type of natu-
ral disaster. The beautiful Fjaðrár-
gljúfur canyon has become one of the
most photographed places in Iceland
in recent years, and all because of one
particular man-child and his pen-
chant for traipsing through rivers in
his underwear. That’s right, Justin
Bieber, I’m still looking at you. After
the Biebs’ famous video for ‘I’ll show
you’, tourists flocked to the valley to
check out the celebrity spot. As a re-
sult, much of the surrounding land-
scape has been damaged by the sudden
rise in foot traffic and park authorities
had to rush to build proper trails and
fences. Fjaðrárgljúfur is the only place
in Iceland where I have seen barbed
wire, which is pretty sad. Some things
are just not worth a selfie, kids.
The drive back to Kirkjubæjarklaus-
tur was a short one, during which our
guide, seemingly having run out of
volcano facts, regaled us with tales of
celebrities he had ferried about in the
jeep—even more of an incentive to
take the tour, if you particularly want
to have the opportunity to have sat in
the same vehicle as Anne Hathaway.
We finished off the day with a well-
deserved pizza in Systrakaffi, because
it is a well-known rule that all volcanic
adventures should end with pizza. And
besides, as I have made abundantly
clear, nobody likes a hangry journalist.
Distance
from Reykjavík:
226 km
How to get there:
Take route 1 south,
turn onto route 26
and then routes 208
and 235
Tour provided by:
secreticeland.com
A Lassie On Laki
Josie, trying not to trip
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48The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 14— 2019
“This effect is
credited with
instigating the
French Revolu-
tion and, more
weirdly, Robert
Burns’ poetic
output.”
Intern Josie takes us on another mountainous adventure.
This time, there’s pizza.
Words: Josie Gaitens Photos: Art Bicnick