Iceland Day 2, Adventuring North - Part 1
ADVENTURE TIME! Well, almost. For breakfast, Jeri created a masterpiece of scrambled eggs, ham, cheese, avocado and a slice of toast (spread with unbelievably good Icelandic butter) as I strolled the neighborhood in search of coffee. Reunited with hot java, we started our day --perfectly timed-- around 11:00am.
With full bellies, we packed up from Apartment K and headed north out of Reykjavík. Only about 5 miles outside of town, Jeri suggested that we stop and take some photos at our next opportunity. An ordinary-looking pull-off at the base of a massif appeared moments later.
Little did we know, but that stop was going to lead us on an unexpectedly awesome adventure!
Tuesday, October 31
A few minutes after noon, our accidental adventure began from Estjurætur, beneath the slopes of Mt. Esja. We worked our way up the rocky terrain for almost two miles before the rugged peaks tore open the clouds.
We glimpsed only a fraction of the beauty and wonder that we were in for throughout our journey.
The trail was composed of crushed gravel which made for a very pleasant hike. We traversed simple rock crossings, water bars, check steps and wooden bridges. The mountainside network was very well maintained, with multiple route options. I hope to explore it in more detail someday.
The trek broke ground with humble beginnings in a parking lot, 5 miles north of Reykjavík.
The landscape was vast and massive.
With very few canopies to obstruct views at the lower elevations, and none at the higher, rising crowns of the surrounding range dominated the skyline. Birds sang near the trailhead, but as we entered the realm of the clouds, wildlife became sparse: two ravens, a handful of mosquitos and a single paw print on the trail were all the indication of wildlife near the top.
Even the grass gave way to a jagged, rocky, moss covered terrain.
This was an exquisite hike and started our first full day of exploration in the right direction; today's direction was to be north. We had made loose plans to visit waterfalls and hot springs beyond Borgarfjörður, but left room for enchanting interludes, such as hiking outside of Reykjavík.
Looking to the southwest at about 370'.
Clouds from the northeast rolled in and blanketed the surrounding mountaintops. The rain and wind picked up as we neared the saddle; then suddenly, we remembered that we had waterfalls to find. So, we decided that an out-and-back fit our schedule better than summiting in the rain.
Our accidental hiking adventure made sure that our time in Iceland started on a high note.
The scarcity of trees makes the glimpses of nature easier to notice. Even a novice eye such as mine can't help but capture a few good ones.
-rare sighting of this wild beauty in her natural habitat
The full day's tour took us 85 miles from the capital city of Reykjavík to Húsafell, but before reaching our terminus that evening, we still had waterfalls adventures and the mysterious little village of Reykholt.
