Navigating Iceland's Laugavegur Trail in Challenging Weather Conditions

The Laugavegur Trail, a part of the Iceland Traverse, is known for its breathtaking scenery and demanding terrain. However, the weather conditions on this trail can be unpredictable and harsh.

We started the day early, before the clouds had a chance to obscure our view of the valley. The morning was dry, but we knew that the weather could change quickly in Iceland. We headed up above the hut and onto a plateau with stunning views, but our joy was short-lived as the rain started to fall. The rain got harder as we climbed a steep but steady mountain pass, and the wind hit us with full force.

The trail continued round the side of the mountain, a narrow ledge cut into the hillside. We eventually dropped down to Emstrur hut, where we found a little shelter tent for cooking and drying clothes. The weather began to improve as we dropped down and round the next mountain, and we were able to lose our waterproofs.

We followed the Makarfjot river over lava sands, sharp rock fields, and ancient birch woodlands. The trees were not much taller than us, and we stopped in a little valley next to a small mountain stream for lunch. After lunch, we rounded the corner and started to drop down towards a deep, raging river-filled canyon. A little bridge down inside the canyon gave us some fantastic views up the length of it.

However, the rain began again, and we were back into our waterproofs. We dropped down beside the river into a valley so green with moss that it almost felt luminous. The climb up the other side of the valley was short but sharp, and we were soon back into our waterproofs again.

After taking the trail along the top of the pass, through some shallow streams and over some small rolling hills at the top, we descended steeply. We were heading for Skogar now, and down down down on a small but well-marked gravel path until we hit a gravel valley at the bottom.

A river ran through the middle of the wide flat valley, and it was here that we met a guided group. The river directly ahead was slightly narrower and flowing fast, and the guided group were encouraged to cross here. However, we walked 50 or so metres upstream to a slightly wider section of river, where it was slower flowing and only knee deep.

We took our time and crossed easily without any dramas. The other side took us up into more birch forest, and I had missed forest hiking. It is some of my favourite hiking, and with the wild flowers and fog, it was a beautiful contrast and really took the sting out of the climb.

Once at the top, it was just a short 2km descent into Skogar. More wildflowers, birch woodland, and lush green grass took us all the way down the pass. We arrived at Langidalur Hut in Skogar and booked in for camping. After eating some extra snacks, we set up our tent.

The wardens at the huts constantly receive weather updates for the local area, so we went and spoke to the warden to see if better weather was coming. Apparently so! The sun was due to come out by 9am and the clouds to lift completely. We were technically at the end of the Laugavegur trail but still had the beautiful Fimmvorduhals traverse to go.

A high, steep, narrow mountain pass that would take us all day. We had our dinner in the food tent, chatted with others that had been hiking in the area, and soon went to bed. We were planning on a steady start the next day to get the best views possible in the best weather from the start.

| Section | Distance | Terrain | Weather | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Day 1 | 16 km | Mountain pass, river crossing, forest | Rain, wind, fog | | Day 2 | 20 km | River crossing, forest, mountain pass | Rain, wind, sunshine |

Note: The distances and terrain are approximate and based on the author's experience. The weather conditions are also based on the author's experience and may vary depending on the time of year and other factors.