On my way home from Scotland this past summer, I met up with my good friend, Candy, in Iceland to hike Iceland’s most famous long distance trail – The Laugavegur Hiking Trail. This 55 kilometer trail is located in the southern highlands of Iceland, north of the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano. It starts in Landmannalaugar and takes 3 – 5 days to trek to Þórsmörk . The scenery is beautiful, unique, and varied. Every day has different views from black rock lava fields, to fields of flourescent green moss, to fields of snow. Volcanic mountains and mountains displaying a variety of colors delight the trekker. Ice caves, glaciers, and even natural hot springs are found along this trek.
The trail is challenging requiring a decent level of fitness, yet the scenery you will see is well worth the extra training. The trek can quickly become more challenging with poor weather conditions, such as whipping wind, snow, fog, freezing rain and more. Your best chances for good weather are from mid-July to the end of August. However you could experience poor weather during these two months, it’s the Icelandic mountains after all!
Below is a map of Iceland with the trail marked in red from Landmannalaugar to Porsmork. (Map found at http://www.mountainguides.is)
Below: Candy and Sheri on two different parts of the Laugavegur trek day one of our adventure.
Our original itinerary for the trek is shown below, however we decided to skip staying the night at Emstrur, due to very windy conditions, and continued hiking that day till Basar in Porsmork.
Day 1: Landmannalaugar to Hrafntinnusker (12Km) 4-5 hour hike
Day 2: Hrafntinnusker to Alftavatn or to Hvanngil (16K) 6-8 hours
Day 3: Alftavatn to Emstrur (16km) 6-7 hours
Day 4: Emstrur to Basar in Porsmork (15K) 5-7 hours, take bus back to Reykavik
Finding your way on the Laugavegur trail: The trail is very well marked with three different types of way markers. You will see wooden posts with the tops painted red or blue throughout the trail marking the way. Larger wooden posts with metal signs at the top have locations and distances carved out of them to also show the way. The last type of sign you will see are wooden rectangular signs with the name of the campsites written on them.
Accommodations along the way: Huts and camping sites along the Laugavegur trail are usually open from the end of June until the end of August, depending on snow and trail conditions. The Volcano Huts in Þórsmörk open earlier in the spring and stay open longer into the fall due to the location and better weather conditions. In order to use the huts, you will need to reserve many months in advanced. You may even need to reserve a full year in advanced depending on group size. Candy and I camped as we did not make reservations early enough.
The photo shown below was taken at the Landmannalaugar hut and camping site. This is where many people are dropped off every day to start their trek or to do a day hike, hence all the buses parked behind the tents. People also come to camp for one night allowing them to do a day hike and enjoy the natural hot springs found in this area.
Challenges along the trail: The Laugavegar trek has many challenges to keep the adventurous trekker entertained such as; steep ascents made up of soft dirt and rocks causing you to slide a bit with every step up the hill, steep descents that force you to shuffle sideways down the hill, fog that will keep you alert and focused on finding the next way marker, freezing whipping wind and rain that will have you diving into your tent for shelter, fast moving rivers that will challenge your balance, and more! Be sure to bring your hiking poles and layers of clothing on this challenging adventure!
A well populated trek: We met many people along the way. Some were with organized groups and some with a few friends. We didn’t meet any solo travelers. At times it felt like there were too many people on the trail and other times where it was just us.
Traversing rivers and streams: The water way you see in this photo was rather narrow and shallow compared to others that were wide, fast moving, and up to mid-thigh. Bring water proof foot-wear to change into to cross these streams and rivers. When crossing the rivers, remember to cross with the current not against it, an important lesson Candy taught me. Poles are needed on several river crossings to keep you from falling.
Transportation to and from the trail: Daily scheduled busses drive between Reykjavík and the starting and end points of the trail in Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk. The bus stop in Þórsmörk is at the Volcano Huts in Husadalur Valley. The bus in the photo below was taking us back to Reykjavik, but first we had to cross through a fast moving river!
Below are some photos I took along this trek that show the varied and diverse land of this region of Iceland. Enjoy!
I know many of you reading this blog may think a 55 kilometer trail is just not long enough for you. 🙂 If this is how you feel you are in luck! The 24 – 30 kilometer long Fimmvörðuháls & Eyjafjallajökull hiking trail can be added to this trek, connecting the Laugavegur Trail with Skógar, on the south coast of Iceland. While Candy and I did not hike along this extension, we met many who were extending their adventure. Whatever you decide you will surely love walking this varied, beautiful land.
To help you prepare further for you adventure, check out this great blog (Note that most prices the author lists in the blog have increased, for example camping is now $20 per person, not $10 dollars per person.): How to Plan For The Laugavegur Trek in Iceland
The only downfall about Iceland – Everything is very expensive, but that is another blog! Three quick suggestion to save you money…
- Ride in buses not taxi’s.
- Bring you own gear, don’t rent.
- Bring as much food for the trip as you can (REI has great dried camping food).
Twenty years ago I discovered a magical place called the Isle of Skye. A small ferry type boat took about 20 of us young and impressionable folks from mainland Scotland to Skye. We landed in a quaint and quiet little fishing town called Kyleaken. An even smaller group of us decided to take the island van – tour. This tour stirred my soul and brought back my child-like wonder. It was my first time realizing since a young girl that fairies do exist. They live in Skye’s fairy glen, swim in its fairy pools and cross its fairy bridge. It was an enchanting land of steep cliffs, castles and rugged yet brilliant scenic views.
My home base for two nights was the cute town of Portree shown in the three photos below and labeled in the map above (map is from Lonely Planet). From there I took buses and taxis to the start of two different hikes. My last night I went back to Kyleakin, where I found a couple of short hikes.
The first night I arrived in Portree I enjoyed not just warm summer weather, but a warm welcome from the town’s Scottish bagpipe band, as well as a not so warm welcome from a few midgies (small Scottish mosquito-like bugs). The streets were adorned with colorfully painted homes, B&B’s, hotels, stores and restaurants. I managed to lock down a place to stay for two nights, even though online it showed the town was fully booked.
After waking up later than planned, I missed the morning shuttle bus to the start of the Old Man of Storr hike. (During the summer months bus 57 runs 4 times daily from Portree to and from the Old Man of Storr and Quiraing hiking trails). Reluctantly I forked over 15 British pounds for a taxi ride vs. 5 British pounds for the bus. The Old Man of Storr hike is one of the most popular hikes among tourists on the Isle, so if you can go early morning for sunrise or late evening for sunset you will miss the crowds. I made it just in time for the mad house of people. However, as I climbed higher, I noticed only those in actual hiking clothing made it to the top. The heeled dress boots didn’t quite cut it. And yes, a woman was hiking in dress boots!
You will probably want to spend a good two hours enjoying this beautiful scenic area. Take some snacks and the bus schedule so you don’t miss the last bus back to Portree. I decided I didn’t want to wait for the last bus and finding no off-road foot path, I walked the main road back to town. I enjoyed the 7-mile walk, but it’s definitely not the safest option with cars whizzing past you, nor one I would do again.
My second day on the Isle of Skye I decided to explore the Quiraing area, also part of the Trotternish Ridge which was formed by a massive landslip creating high cliffs. The same bus (57) that takes you to the Old Man of Storr hike, continues on down the road for more stops, one being the Quiraing loop hike drop-off. From the bus stop it is about a 20 to 30 minute walk up a winding road to a car park where the hike starts. Be sure to let the bus driver know that you want to do the Quiraing hike so when your stop comes he/she will point you in the right direction.
For more details of this impressive hike check out “walkhighlands” section by section description here.
After spending the night in a stuffy camping trailer with about 8 others I was ready for fresh air and coffee. Why was I staying in a trailer you ask? Well, silly me thought it would be fun to make reservations at the same friendly hostel I stayed at 20 years ago (Skye Backpackers). What I didn’t know is that in order to make room for all the new tourists, they had acquired a couple of old camping trailers and Sheri was lucky enough to land a bed in one of them. Before I left for my days hike, I made sure to cancel my second night and book a bus back to mainland Scotland as the Isle’s crowds didn’t leave any B&B or hotel rooms empty.
I took the shorter 1.5 mile trail as I had a bus to catch mid-day. This trail takes the trekker uphill through mixed woodland to spectacular viewpoints over Kyleakin, the Isle of Raasay and north to Cuillin Mountains – popular hiking mountains. (If I was staying a couple more days on the Isle I would have gone on a couple of day hikes in the Cuillin Mountains.) The second trail takes you to the same view points, but also through open moorland and conifer trees prior to the climb. This adds about 3/4 of a mile to your total mileage. If you have the time, I would recommend the longer trail. Both trails are very easy and well marked.
Do I recommend this hike? If you are in Kyleakin, yes, but I wouldn’t go out of your way to do this hike. I regret not heading to Cuillin Mountains.
To find more hiking trails on the Isle of Skye, such as in the Cuillin Mountains, I highly recommend going to this site: 
The Orkney Isles are a place where trust in strangers still exists: Where the locals pull over to offer you a ride even if your thumb is not out; Where archeological digs are in abundance, so much so that student’s of archeology come from all over the world to learn; Where puffins and many other bird species call home – attracting many a bird watcher; Where trails lead you along steep breath-taking cliffs, all the way down to white sandy beaches that lead to neolithic dwellings, older than the Egyptian pyramids; Where people flock to standing stones, stone circles, and inside huge ancient burial mounds; Where winter coats are useful year round; Where wind can whip so hard it can almost blow you off the cliff; Where you can be the only one walking along a beautiful white sandy beach on a sunny summer day; Where time stands still and peace is a constant; Where you know you have come to a special place.
After a good hour of enjoying the weather and view and chatting with other hikers, I headed back the same way I came. There is a trail that is more direct to get back to the ferry that goes over Cuilags hill, but it involves protective dive bombing Skuas that aim for the head – no thanks! (Skuas are a type of bird that unapologetically protect their young that nest in grassy fields). I’ll take extra miles over frightening and unpleasant experiences any time. And had I taken the short cut, I would have missed out on this adorable family of sheep and the dramatic cliffs behind them.
For more information on trekking in Scotland, come to my February 3rd talk at Savvy Traveler in Edmonds, WA at 10AM.
Pam pumped us up for the morning climb and off we headed to the hills…
After a long climb, we eventually hit more undulating type hills that continued for several miles. We saw more groups of people on the trail this day than any other day. 
An old home in ruins lie next to the path, an intriguing site along the way.
About a third of the way through we stopped for lunch planting ourselves right on the trail. 
The second half the day had some fun obstacles to find our way over, several streams and
a log slide surrounded by mud in an area that had been clear cut not too long ago.
Eventually half of Ben Nevis (Great Britain’s tallest mountain), came into view (the other half was in the clouds), letting us know we were almost to the end of our 96-mile journey.
We finally made it to the last hill of the day, the last hill we would walk up on our adventure together, the hill that lead us to our final and gorgeous B&B 🙂 Exhausted, excited, and feeling rather elated over completing our long journey, we hit the showers and cleaned up for our last big dinner together. What a trek, what a group, and what a view from our B&B!
The end of the West Highland Way is marked by a tall rectangular sign, located at Gordon Square in Fort William. It was the perfect spot for our last team photo! 
Other than a few rain drops, the worst never came and by days end the sun was making a showing, again we managed to luck out!
On the way up, we couldn’t help but turn and look at all the great views the climb provided of the Glencoe Mountain range…
We made it to the top and captured the moment as we were at the highest point of our entire 96-mile journey!
Today’s stretch was through the barren and remote Rannoch Moor, one of Europe’s last remaining areas of genuine wilderness. This is an area that is often very windy and wet, with no shelter until the Glencoe Ski Resort about 9.5 miles into the hike or a half mile further, the Kings House Hotel.
and kept marching till our accommodations!
Despite the heavy rain and wind, we still managed to smile and have fun. It wouldn’t have been a full experience on the WHW without massive wind and sideways rain!
Our morning involved a few obstacles to climb over and squeeze through, but it wouldn’t be a day on the trail without a few challenges…
at our first and only rest stop of the day (6 miles in), the Bridge of Orchy Hotel.
After enjoying scones and tea in the pub of the Hotel, we headed out for our short 3-mile jaunt over the hill to our accommodations.
The climb over the hill was beautiful. Mountains and hills of the highlands were all around, inspiring us to keep climbing.
We made it to the top where we caught the first glimpse of our Inn.
This 19th century Inn sits isolated on the edge of Rannoch Moor and is only still in use, thanks to the popularity of the West Highland Way!
The rain started up again shortly after we arrived, feeling rather fortunate we showered and then huddled in the small bar and watched other trekkers rolling in all wet and cold. Some of these trekkers were camping and stopped in to dry off and have a drink before they had to set up camp. We were so happy we were not them!
Today’s trail was far different than yesterday’s slow maneuvering trail. Soon after leaving Inverarnan, the gently rolling path took us along the picturesque, fast flowing River Falloch. We lucked out again with the weather – no rain and bright clouds and blue sky, with the sun making a showing every now and then! Perfect hiking weather!
and provided mostly wide open sweeping views, with just a few areas of tree coverage.
After lunch, it was time to climb. It’s not always the best idea to eat and then participate in vigorous exercise, but we had places to go, so we pushed right through. And, with our Canadian teammate leading the way we had no worries!
Higher and higher we climbed…
Until we found a place to stop, so we could stretch…
and another place to stop, so we could sit… 
We had no egos holding us back from a nice resting spot, and of course an opportunity for another team photo under the lovely arched bridge!
However looking ahead wasn’t all that bad either aside from dark clouds rolling in…
We finally made it to our place of stay, 12.5 miles of walking completed! We managed to make it without a drop of rain. However, it poured right before dinner when we needed to walk into town from our B&B to the pub. We did get a bit wet, but the drinks, great food, and people at the pub made up for the wet clothes!
The first half of our day, aside from a few midges, and blister bandaging stops, was quite peaceful with lovely trails that were mostly smooth. This allowed us to make it to Inversnaid for an early lunch. The photos below show the final walk into Inversnaid, which took us over a bridge with a view of an enchanting waterfall. Inversnaid lay nestled in the hillside above Loch Lomond.
leading to slow and challenging foot-paths. Meticulously crafted benches were unfortunately surrounded by mud.
We came across an old house, and a bothie – a small hut or cottage open to hikers for sleeping or shelter during bad weather. They are found along wilderness trails all around Scotland. Bothies are free, and very simple as trekkers must bring their own sleeping bag, pad, stove and food.
Eventually we made it to the end of the loch. Looking back reminded us how far we had already come, from one end of the loch to the other. One of the most impressive things thus far – the vivid greenery of Scotland! Seattle may be known as the Emerald City, but just doesn’t compare (at least not during the summer months)! Couple the brilliant green hillsides with a deep blue loch and sky – magical!
The ups and downs and ferns continued as we hiked further and further away from Loch Lomond. We started to wonder if we missed a turn-off to our hotel as the wilderness seemed to go on and on and on…
However, eventually we did see the finish line to this long challenging, yet beautiful day. Seeing the historic Drover’s Inn Hotel was a welcome site to say the least!
Our lunch break in Balmaha…
