Day 7 - Laugavegur: Botnar/Emstrur to Þórsmörk
Canyons, rivers and glaciers
More canyons on today’s 15km/9.3mi walk, with the magnificent Eyjaffjallajökull an ever-present backdrop. Towards the end of the day, you enter lush low birch forest with a carpet of wildflowers beneath.
If the lure of hot food and showers is too much for you as it was for us, you’ll choose to divert a few kilometres extra and stay at Husadalur (Volcano Huts) instead of the more basic hut and campground at Langidalur. Faster hikers will reach Basar on the other side of the river but, in our opinion, this is too far for slower hikers.
Today is to to Porsmork but a detour to Volcano Huts at Hasduladar rather than Langidalur provides a hot shower, not to mention a bar!
Walk with Us:
I often tire towards Day 6 when hiking without a break, but we have had a rest day in Landmannalaugar and there is just so much to see. Each new vista draws you onwards.
First, plenty of streams to cross...
…with Mýrdalsjökull as your backdrop.
The terrain is still extraordinary.
You occasionally drop to near the water’s edge,
but Entujökull nearly always stays in view.
Crossing at Fremri-Emstrua
An undulating path across the plain and you will be awed by that incredible glacier.
Closer to the glacier. Come on Helen, a freshly brewed hot coffee is calling!
A rest, looking across to Wild Boar Rock.
You’ve been tracking alongside the main arm of the Markarfljót River all day, every now and then nearing the edge.
Beautiful grasses and sedges.
And wild thyme. It has been dotted along almost the entire trek, often on bare ground.
After crossing a tributary, the river Þröngá, you enter a lovely birch forest.
We have chosen to detour via Volcano Huts, rather than going straight to Langidalur Huts. A lovely sheltered, grassy campground with...
… a natural hot pool, hot showers, a spa and a PROPER RESTAURANT and a BAR!!!! It’s expensive, but we have been eating home dehydrated meals almost exclusively, so can afford to splurge!
Geoff gets his coffee and we go to bed tired but eager for the start of the Fimmvorduhals Trail tomorrow.