Iceland - Day 13

Arnarstapi to Valley under Snæfellsjökull

14 miles

My mornings seem to start earlier and earlier. This time, it was the ferocious wind that I could hear even with my earplugs and the freezing conditions. I was trying to do Zumba in my sleeping bag to keep warm but gave up after an hour.

The plan for today was simple, walk at least 25 km / 16 miles, camp somewhere, and do the same tomorrow. That changed quickly enough, but let's start at the beginning. The sun was nowhere to be seen when I started walking, but just as I hit the lava fields, towards Hellnar, it popped up. All my pictures had this warm glow feel to them. Points for timing. Views of Snæfellsjökull glacier were absolutely stunning from every angle. Me being me, of course, I've taken enough pictures to recreate the whole glacier in 3D. The rock formations on the coast were stunning, and they got almost the same attention.

The first section was easy to follow and read, but what came after was very different. First, I followed a faint 'sheep-trail' type path and managed to lose it twice. Then, I hopped across some lava rocks and managed not to break anything. And that's when the fun part started. The narrow path kept leading me closer and closer to the edge of the cliffs. At one point, the cliff was sort of missing I was not impressed or entertained. That's why I decided to change my route (again). There was no way I was going to do this for another 25 miles. I knew exactly where I was going to go off the path, so I simply took extra care and carried on.

Even from a distance, I could see this opposing feature called Londrangar and the lighthouse next to it. It took me almost 3 hours to get to them. From a distance, it looks like the old ruins of a grand fortress. My first impression from the viewing point was WOW. Once I got close, it made me chuckle as I could see a rugby player's foot and the ball about to be kicked. After walking to the other side, though, the view reminded me of the two tours from Lord of the Rings. Either way, it was fair to say they were massive and amazing.

As I'd been walking for 4 straight hours, I had a rest stop by the visitor centre. To my utter surprise, the toilets were open, and there were benches to rest at. I had a mini break with the most unexpected company. I was looking around and that's when I got very lucky. I noticed a poster in the window of Snæfellsjökull glacier with all the landmarks and walking paths. One was about the coastal walk, but to my utter surprise there was an alternative route to this to Hellisandur. More inland and closer to the glacier. I didn't hesitate, I took some pictures and made a new plan.

Visiting the Vatshellir cave seemed impossible yesterday, but it was right in the middle of my path today. It did involve some road walking, but at 9 AM, there was barely anyone around. I arrived on the dot at 10 AM with hopeful eyes and was quickly told that they were busy until 11 AM with a large group. I pondered my options and decided to have a longish rest as I didn't want to miss this. I shouldn't have worried. The group didn't arrive on time, so Dawn, the granddaughter of the company that runs the cave, kindly offered a private tour. You can't imagine my reaction, but a loud YES was involved. She explained that the cave is over 8,000 years old and was only discovered in 2011. Seeing how the lava created the different tunnels, weird shapes, and colours was amazing. To add to the fun factor, Dawn pointed out a lovely signpost to Tromboli, Italy. You need to read the book or watch the movie 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' to get this. I was also offered to taste the water from the 'fountain of youth'. Not sure how much good it will do me now but I had a sip of this amazingly clear water. Fingers crossed. It was a great experience to have walked in the belly of the beast, so to speak. Dawn and her colleagues were absolute stars and even gave me pointers about my next few stops. Thanks, guys, you rock.

This was followed by one more hour of road walking, but once I found the amazing waymarker that would lead me off the road, I actually kissed it. Walking on the tarmac is not pleasant, and my feet were throbbing. As I managed to get a signal finally, I checked my progress and plotted my new plan. It was way better than I imagined. I was only 2.5 miles away from a river crossing, which I thought would be ideal for camping, and that would only leave 10.5 miles to go tomorrow. All in all, my new plan worked out perfectly. This section was like walking in a magical, lush meadow. The ground was softer, everything was green, and the flowers were blooming. I didn't realise I was lagging until I started walking with a spring to my step and a huge smile on my face. Playing again, my favourite 'PING' game was amazing. The clouds and the wind were a bit cold, but just when I crossed the small stream, the sun popped out again. I was hoping to stay next to the stream, but it was simply too windy. After a bit of recce, I found this perfect spot that felt sheltered. I set up my tent and immediately had a nap. It was 2 pm. in the afternoon.

Tonight is my last night of wild / off-the-grid camping. My spot had the most amazing view of the magnificent Snæfellsjökull glacier, and I had a lot of AAHH moments. Dinner was amazing. I simply put enough food away for breakfast and snacks, and the rest was FEAST time. I gorged on a tuna packet, had cold noodles with chorizo, and even had a bite of pizza. What a treat. Reading and staring at the clouds was a fantastic way to spend the evening. Of course, the fleece, the jacket, the hat, and the sleeping bag were also in attendance. It was a day of changing plans and weather but the enjoyment of walking in this stunning country will never cease to amaze me.