Reykjavík Grapevine - okt 2019, Qupperneq 50

DESTINATION
Þakgil
Pack up and go!
Words: Josie Gaitens Photos: Emma Romeijn
The beauty of living in Iceland is
that even if you reside right in the
heart of downtown Reykjavík, you
are never more than a short drive
from being in the middle of nature.
In the summer, when the days are
endlessly long and every second
Monday seems to be a public holi-
day, it’s possible to message a few
friends as you walk out the door of
the office on Friday evening, throw
a tent or two in the back of the car,
and be on the road by 6pm. And so,
that’s exactly what we did.
Many people who come to Ice-
land don’t have the luxury of an
impromptu trip. There is so much
to see in this tiny country that
visitors often have tightly packed
schedules and detailed itineraries.
But for residents, or guests enjoy-
ing an extended stay, the joy of
spontaneity is one to be treasured.
Heading south
We decided that our destination
this time was the south. Specifi-
cally, Þakgil, a small campsite in
a valley just north of Vík. It’s a few
hours drive away from Reykjavík,
but with the weekend stretching
out before us and the sun on our
side, the prospect of spending a
while in the car cruising through
the beautiful, ethereal scenery of
southern Iceland was not one we
minded.
We arrived at Þakgil just as the
sun was beginning to touch the
tops of the surrounding moun-
tains, setting the clouds alight
with pink and orange hues. We
strapped on our packs and head-
ed up an almost vertically-steep
incline, puffing and panting
and stopping regularly to catch
our breath and admire the view.
Þakgil valley is deeply lush and
green, with views that leave you
as breathless as the hike. Small
streams criss-cross the land, leav-
ing streaks of fluorescent-green
flora on either side. We walked for
hours, kept awake by our delight in
the landscape and the omnipres-
ent sun, and sustained by mars
bars and mountain water.
Glacial vista
What we were seeking was a camp-
ing spot with a good view over the
expansive Vatnajökull glacier. This
meant wild camping, which is a
controversial topic in Iceland—and
for good reason. With the tourism
boom, many popular parts of the
country have seen footfall increase
exponentially. Whilst most visi-
tors are mindful of the fragility of
the landscape and respect it ap-
propriately, all it takes is a small
percentage of idiots to mess things
up. The results can be catastrophic
for the unique and vulnerable eco-
systems that exist in Iceland.
So, while wild camping is not
illegal in Iceland, as is commonly
misreported, it is highly discour-
aged. Our group was made up of
experienced hikers and campers,
with the right gear and equipment
and an ex-ranger as a guide. If you
know what you are doing, wild
camping is a great way to enjoy
nature. If you don’t, do yourselves,
the rescue services, and nature a
favour and stay in a marked camp-
site.
Our efforts were thoroughly
rewarded by the most spectacu-
lar sunrise that lit up the whole
glacier not long after 2am. We sat
on the mountain, with drams in
hand, surrounded by friends and
views so beautiful it was almost
laughable. As Friday evenings go,
I’ve had worse.
Travel Distance from Reykjavík: 209 km How to get there: Route 1 south to Vík then turn onto route 214
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