Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.08.2010, Page 22

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22 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • 1 August 2010
Most of us get our ex-ercise in Iceland by visiting the shops in
Reykjavík. Hefty arm develop-
ment carrying bags of souvenirs.
Hefty stomach development by
visiting the Pearl. Getting on
and off the tour bus is good.
Walking from the change room
to the Blue Lagoon is good.
But there are those who
want a bigger challenge that
will help wear off all those
meals offered us by our rela-
tives. For those people, we rec-
ommend Landmannalaugar.
It’s in south Iceland. It’s a
bit remote. There’s a campsite
and an accommodation hut. I
didn’t say this was the Hotel
Saga. There are boxes of rocks
for anchoring tents.
This part of the Fjallabak
Nature Reserve opens in June
and closes in September. People
come from all over to walk this
trail so it is heavily used. There
are huts where you can stay but
you have to book accommoda-
tion months in advance. Or, you
can carry a tent. You also need
to carry enough food for what
can be a two to four day hike.
You need good, sturdy
boots. You also need all-weather
clothes because even in summer
the weather can be cold, winds
high, heavy rain and even snow.
You see why you shouldn’t try
to walk it in winter.
When you get there, you’ll
see a hot spring that runs past
the camp site and you’ll prob-
ably be grateful for a relaxing
dip but, hard as the trail is, the
spring can be busy so it’s rec-
ommended that you visit it in
early morning. There are steam-
ing sulphur pots in the hills
and hiking trails everywhere.
The views are stunning from
Bláhnúkur. It takes a couple of
hours to reach the top of Bláh-
núkur but, what the heck, if you
survived the trail what is a two
hour jaunt up a big hill?
If you are still feeling the
need for a bit of exercise, you
can take a long day walk to the
ice-caves at Hrafntinnusker.
If you don’t feel like a four-
day hike, you can rent a car and
drive but you go from paved to
dirt roads to tracks in the lava
and ash plains. Check your
rental agreement. It may not
cover this trip.
If you’d rather not drive,
you can take a bus from Reyk-
javík which takes you through
stunning countryside.
This trip, the hiking trip,
that is, is particularly recom-
mended for any teenagers you
are taking with you. Four days
to Landmannalaugar while you
get your exercise signing your
Visa card is a great way for you
both to have an adventure.
Landmannalaugar
Destination Iceland
The camp site in Landmannalaugar
The Pearl
orking Together
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