Day 2 : Landmannalaugar to Vik
Route :
F208 to the 26. 26 to 271 then south into Hella. East on Ring Road (with a rain-soaked stop at Skogafoss) and on to Vík. Left at the Country Hotel Katla onto Kerlingardalsvegur.
Campground : Thakgil, 15 km from the Ring Road through an unseen wormhole to Middle Earth.
F208 to the 26. 26 to 271 then south into Hella. East on Ring Road (with a rain-soaked stop at Skogafoss) and on to Vík. Left at the Country Hotel Katla onto Kerlingardalsvegur.
Campground : Thakgil, 15 km from the Ring Road through an unseen wormhole to Middle Earth.
We hadn't intended to drive all the way to Vík on this day. We'd planned to spend the first half of the day exploring more of Landmannalaugar, and then camp near Seljalandsfoss, where we'd meet our guides for our Volcano Death March on Day 3. But while we lucked out with weather on Day 1, we got served a shit sandwich on Day 2. It was really pretty miserable and we didn't want to be outside - and I really wanted to check out this next campground. Thakgil didn't make sense with our original itinerary, because it would involve a ton of backtracking - so it got nixed from "The Plan." But we all know the saying about best laid plans. Iceland runs them through a blender. This is why the freedom and versatility of the camper van appealed to us so much. Shit weather ruins your plans? No sweat. Hit the road, follow the sunshine and let the rainbows lead the way.
We decided we didn't want to hike in the rain, only to spend all afternoon locked in our van in the parking lot of a tourist trap - so we opted to switch up the plans, backtracking-be-damned. Destination : Thakgil.
We decided we didn't want to hike in the rain, only to spend all afternoon locked in our van in the parking lot of a tourist trap - so we opted to switch up the plans, backtracking-be-damned. Destination : Thakgil.
I was sad to leave Landmannalaugar so soon. The landscape is impossibly green and impossibly black and impossibly vibrant and impossibly stark, all at the same time. I could have spent days here - there are hiking trails everywhere you look. But Iceland pushed us on.
These guys were hoofing it in to Landmannalaugar - my guess is they were trying to do Iceland on the cheap and didn't want to deal with the buses (you can find any number of day tours from Reykjavik, or take one of the daily public buses), so they scored a ride as far as F208 and walked from there. Iceland is an extremely safe country and hitchhiking is common. We saw notes in the bathrooms of several campgrounds from people looking for rides to their next destination.
Hnausapollur is a short side trip off of F208 just outside of Landmannalaugar. It's a volcanic crater-turned-highland lake that is apparently also a spectacular place to fish for trout. I'll have to take the internet's word on that, because I wouldn't have wanted to be out there fishing on the day we were there. They aren't kidding when they tell you to pay attention to the wind. It's brutal.
There's a sign on F208 that points you in the direction of the crater, and you basically drive right up the side of it - not really knowing what you're gonna find until you get there. As you can see, it totally isn't worth the trip. Not at all.
It was spitting rain and it was so windy that I was having trouble holding my camera still. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't keep drops off my lens. This was one of the few places where I felt the wind could actually rip the door off the van. It was that strong. We didn't stay long, but I'm glad we stopped. Just one of many spectacular hidden Icelandic treasures. If I have one recommendation for exploring Iceland, it's take the road less traveled. Get off Route 1. Wonder where a road goes? Take it. You never know what you're going to find. Just make sure you've got 4WD. :)
When we got back down to F208, the hikers were still visible in the distance. I didn't envy them the long walk in the rain,
but at least it was easy going. And flat. And not particularly ugly.
but at least it was easy going. And flat. And not particularly ugly.
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I'm pretty sure I was begging Mark to pull over like every 5 minutes to take photos. How can you not when the scenery looks like this?
I believe this waterfall is called Tröllkonuhlaup - we happened upon it on 26, headed back toward the Ring Road. There are waterfalls EVERY-WHERE in Iceland. Water is literally bursting out of the landscape. You could spit in any random direction and hit one 95% of the time. Right across the road from here is the stratovolcano Hekla, the most active volcano in Iceland. It was being modest and refused to reveal its ice-covered glory - which is apropos, because the word Hekla in Icelandic means "short, hooded cloak." Its biggest eruption was in 1104, earning it the nickname "Gateway to Hell." To this day, there is still a legend that witches gather on the mountain at Easter.
We continued on, taking 271 into Hella and then heading east on the Ring Road. We skipped Seljalandsfoss ("-foss" means waterfall) because we knew we'd be back there the next day - but we did stop for a few drenching minutes at Skogafoss. The parking lot was packed and we had to walk from the furthest reaches to get up close and personal, so we were already soaked when we got there. The mist from the falls? Pfffft. NBD.
From Skogafoss we continued east through Vík and found the road that leads back into Thakgil. This road is a trip - the scenery is surreal and the road is another bumpy, dirt track full of washboards and potholes that winds and twists its way through large boulders and rock formations - but it's not labeled as an F Road and it's passable with 2WD. Visibility of oncoming traffic can be zilch in some locations, and in others it seems like you can see for miles (weather permitting, of course. Goes without saying, but saying it anyway). :)
^ Click to enlarge
The last few kilometers into Thakgil are mind-blowing, even in the rain.
The dark wooden building in the center of the photo above is the office. You check in and pay here, and can leave your phones and batteries here if you need to recharge. The lighter colored buildings behind the van are the utility buildings - bathrooms, showers, sinks & water supply, and a room to hang your wet towels and clothes. These buildings look new and were in great condition. There are also several cottages for rent if you want to glamp it up a little. If you're camping basically just pick a spot and park. There are a few spots near the office with electrical hookup.
We wandered around in the rain a bit, just to see what was there. On this path behind the camp, there's a small geothermal power plant,
which is what supplies the campground with its electricity.
which is what supplies the campground with its electricity.
There's also a dining area set into a cave here - complete with picnic tables and grills. There are candles on the tables that are lit at night.
I loved this campsite. It was one of my favorites.
I loved this campsite. It was one of my favorites.
All photos are © Sugarjets Studio - all rights reserved. Please don't steal them. Stealing is shitty.
Don't be shitty. And please don't make me be mean.
Don't be shitty. And please don't make me be mean.