Day 8 - Fimmvorduhals: Volcano Huts to Baldvinsskali Hut
Another spectacular day, another day different to all the ones before. Snow, volcanoes, spines and different lava formations, but you only need look at the ascent and distance to know that this is a demanding climb. The paths are very steep, without steps. There is one rather narrow, somewhat exposed section called the Cat’s Spine that I forgot to photograph because I was so nervous about it!
This section should only be attempted in good weather. Whiteout, wind and/or snow would make it very dangerous with its steep sections and drop-offs.
This would be a challenging day : We’d add an extra 3.5 km in distance plus 200m in elevation gain onto to a long day by firstly staying Volcano Huts, but then also taking the scenic route to Langidalur Hut. We also had to get to Balvinsskali Hut, which is a little further on than the Fimmvorduhals Hut.
If you prefer you can get to Langidalur Hut by a valley route and avoid the early extra climb but I’d have to say the coffee and views were worth it!
We take a little shortcut up over the hillocks behind Volcano Huts. The view back over the floodplain is already wonderful.
It’s not long before we’re approaching Langidalur Hut, close to the Króssa river and 3 km from Volcano Huts. Lovely grassy campsites. There's the lively Italian Tour Group we'd been leapfrogging. We could always hear them when they were nearby! We should probably have stayed here last night but the lure of restaurant food was irresistible.
Króssa River, Eyjafjalljökull behind. We follow the river and riverbed eastwards.
A troll cave!
With a braided river, the crossing point changes every year, and sometimes more than once, so the bridge needs to be mobile.
We pass through the forested Basar campsite and reach the start of the main climb.
Looking back the way we’ve come over Basar campsite. It is accessible by car and there are many sheltered spots as well as cabins.
Make sure to stop plenty of times to look back at the views behind you.
Another climb: yes, up the RHS of Heiðarhorn! Argggh!
And then the strangest flat plateau, Morinsheiði. Lots of pumice.
… and there is another spine to cross at Heljakambur. I have no pictures of the (in)famous Cat’s Spine a km or so back, because I just crossed it without looking anywhere but at the ground in front of my feet and not at the precipitous falls either side. This crossing was much wider. You quickly understand why this trail is closed when it's windy!
You can soon appreciate why this tarck is closed in wild windy weather.
We ascend past this lava tube hole.
There are wonderful views down the valley here too.
Many of the most exposed sections have chains. Don’t worry, there are just a few.
The Morinsheiði plateau we crossed earlier looks as if it’s been sliced with a knife!
Northern Rock Cress
(Arabidopsis petraea)
We're on the volcano that erupted in 2010 so the ash is very new. It's called an ashfield, but it's as much gravel and pebbles and stuff spat out by the volcano.
The famous "black and white" landscape. It really is that colour, it's not an exposure glitch. There's a hill to climb as a side trip - you can see the people on top - but at this stage I’ve done enough f*%king climbing!
Still, the colours are unbelievable.
We’re walking through the youngest landscape in the world after the 2010 eruption that created two new hills.
So the trail was rerouted after the eruptions. We're walking over a brand new ashfield (lava occluded the original track). Móði didn't exist in 2009!
Are we there yet? No. That's the Fimmvorduhals Hut, the Balvinsskali hut is further on.
The sea! Partly an optical illusion because it's not where you think it is. That aqua /green is actually vegetation, the sea is silvery, starting at the dark line where you think it meets the horizon! And... THE HUT! YAYYYY!
Almost there … but yes of course there is one more small but slippery, snowy climb to contend with!
The warm and comfortable kitchen/dining area downstairs.
And outdoor loo: 500kr pees for us women, free for guys who are asked to pee outside!
Our snug spot. SO glad to be here! We are right by the stairwell and it is noisy, but Geoff tells me the following morning that I was snoring within minutes! It has been a tiring but wonderful day, and tomorrow is all downhill.