Laugavegur - FAQ

1. no problem if you are used to walking. The walking times are of course for an average person without breaks. There will be enough light. You will probably want to do some photo breaks.

2. I'd say 20-30 persons each way each day when I walked there last august. But much much more the last bit down to Landmannalaugar. (Daytrippers) Depends on weekends/weather.

3. The southernmost part is in a nature reserve at least. You are still requested/required to stay at the campsites for this particular trail because of the heavy traffic. No need to reserve unless you want to sleep inside, you pay at the huts. Most cramped at Emstrur. Really you are more concerned with finding a big enough flat soft spot than the distance to others. You are unlikely to have other tents close by on all sides. Noise from the creek and the wind are likely to obscure any noise you make when having sex ;-)

4. Trail mostly bare gravel/ash/rocks. Some places may be slippery. Choose solid boots with good support and good grip.

5. I used sandals; was ok. Neoprene socks with soles sounds good. Uneven rocks in the rivers.

6. Gas stations, sports shops, some convenience stores. There is also a truck shop at Landmannalaugar (limited selection).

7. Don't think so. I never used any. May be some at Þorsmörk if it's not to cold I suppose.

8. Drinking water is generally available in Iceland. You may want to carry some drinking water over Hrafntinnusker (the mountain the first 1½ days), as many sources up there stinks of sulphur. But you'll find some melting water in a pinch. Don't think water pills has any real use on the trail.

9. I walked up there. It was slippery, but I never saw any big deal. Still, I had to go help up a French girl who was somewhat scared. There is a rope to hold on to, the path is completely even at a 30-45° incline. Basically no problem at all, just a long way down if you slip and miss the bridge.

10. The 1:100000 map is ok. The landscape is open and you can often see a large area. The one place the map wasn't sufficient, (looking for the former icecave on Hrafntinnusker in fog,) 1:50000 wouldn't have helped any.

Thks for yr responses.

This looks pretty scary:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaupfelag/629705708/

1. If you look at the official stats it is actually about 150 a day averaged across the main season, and therefore probably 200+ in the highest of the high season. But precisely because of the long daylight hours, and the possibility that you can be half a day staggered from someone else, it doesn't feel busy, except where you are in the area where day-trippers are doing short day-walks. I've stood at points on/near the path and at times had more than 20 walkers in view, though after 15 mins they're all out of sight again.

2. Actually it is the northern end that is in a nature reserve, the Fjallabak nature reserve. L is more or less in the middle of it, and you are not out of it until a couple of hours beyond Hrafntinnusker. I can't find any evidence that Thorsmork has protected status. It appears nowhere on Umhverfisstofnun's list of protected areas. http://english.ust.is/National-Parks/Protectedareas/ Certainly wild camping is strongly discouraged in the southern highlands, especially along the trail because of the heavy footfall, but as far as I can see is only actually illegal in protected areas. But it is also illegal to camp within the vicinity of an organised camp ground. If the weather turns very nasty and you are forced to camp in a place, no one is going to criticise you for that. The advantage of camping in the campgrounds is access to water and toilets. Pollution from human waste is becoming a problem in that part of Iceland and please don't contribute to making it worse.

L campsite is often busy. Th campsites get very busy and noisy at merchants holiday weekend, the weekend attached to the first monday in August, and possibly some other party weekends. In between, you won't have a problem.

1. I've taken my 3-yr-old daughter along worse than that.

Iviehoff indicated that the Landmannnalaugar campsite is often busy (as expected). As a result, I decided to hit the trail immediately upon my arrival by RE bus.

I had a look for the map for the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, which confirms that you could camp everywhere beyond Hrafntinnusker (if coming from the North).

So the steep portion is not a big deal? I assume Iviehoff has walked the trail.

1. Not a problem. You could also merge two days into one if you are up to it, e.g. on day 2, walk Hrafntinnusker-Álftavatn, take a break for 2 hours and then walk Álftavatn-Emstrur.
   2., 3., I agree with "iviehoff"
2. Not a problem
3. Take the Tevas, I love to take off my hiking shoes after have been walking all day plus uneven rocks in the rivers like steinarh says
4. I have never used mosquito repellant in Iceland, don't think it works on the flies here :)
5. Drinking water widely available I recall, just ask the wardens at each hut about it. It is probably hardest to find at the first part (L to H)
6. I hiked the route in 2007 and I don't remember anything very challenging. There might have been a portion where I took a deep breath but there are ropes to help you were it is very steep.
7. Don't know.

I assume Iviehoff has walked the trail

Not all of it. I've walked some of it, and also cycled a route that is closely parallel to it, meeting it in several places.

Iviehoff, did you pass the steep portion of the trail before the Syðri-Emstruá?

I may be too worried about it after Steinarh said above that "French girl was scared" and that "just a long way down if you slip"...

I'm planning this trek during the 3rd week of July. What's the protocol for treating water in Iceland. On the L trek, is a water filter needed, or to people just fill up straight from a stream (like in Patagonia). Is that true for everywhere in Iceland?

BTW, that "scary" pic doesn't look too bad. The trail seems flat, at least 2 feet wide (before steep slope) and there seems to be a chain railing on the left. I suppose if it was super muddy it might not be pleasant, but it doesn't make me think twice. Even if you don't use poles, the railing should suffice if you slip.
-matt

Having hiked this trail over 50 times as a guide, let me give you my opinion.

1. You can easily hit the trail up to Hrafntinnusker straight from the bus upon arrival at LML. However you will not be able to enjoy the view and much of LML landscape if you take off immediately nor can you soak in the geothermal pool there. Remember to sign the route book at the hut prior to your departure.

2. It depends on the time of year and what your perception of overrun is. The heaviest traffic is definitively in July. I have had tours where I was looking at the heels of other hikers all day long and days where I have hardly seen anybody.

3. You are required to camp only on designated campsites within the nature reserve (LML - to about halfway between Hrafntinnusker and Alftavatn). Camping anywhere else than there, is illegal. You are requested to camp only on campsites outside the reserve, due to fragile landscape and to cater for the preservation of the land. Also wardens watch the traffic on the trail for statistics and to see if everybody are making it between the spots. After all there have been a number of fatalities on the trail, so this is done for security purposes as well. Campsite distance is based on how far away a green spot is from the hut, from far away to close. Tightest spot is Emstrur and somebody will definitely hear you having sex there or snoring, although the stream might conceal some noise.

4. I would definitely not recommend wearing low cut hiking shoes. Pick shoes that support your ankle otherwise you might run the risk of twisting it, thereby perhaps ruining your trip.

5. I would pick the Tevas as you can use them on the campsite in the evening/afternoon when you are not hiking.

6. MSR fuel (white gas) is only available as far as I know in Reykjavik at the outdoor stores and some gas stations. Freeze dried food is available at the outdoor stores, but I would recommend bringing dry food with you from wherever you are coming as the prices are insane on freeze dried food. Other dry food can be purchased relatively cheaply at the local grocery store (e.g. pasta, rice etc).

7. No

8. Water quality has deteriorated over the last 15 years or so with more people hiking the trail. Unfortunately people don't always think when the take a dump in the nature and do it too close to water resources, thereby polluting it. I have found number of used toilet papers and poop literally within couple of meters of running water. I instruct all my travelers to fill up water at the huts and not to fill up water on the way from streams unless walking 4-500 meters upstream to get clean water (another reason to camp at the designated camp sites).

9. Its not very challenging part, I have not had any problems with the 500+ travelers that I have taken on that tour yet.

10. 1:100 000 map is adequate