Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [242]
SKAFTAFELLSJÖKULL
Another popular and less sensitive trail is the easy one-hour return walk to Skaftafellsjökull. The (wheelchair-accessible) sealed track begins at the visitor centre and leads to the glacier face, where you can witness the bumps and groans of the ice – although the glacier is pretty grey and gritty here. The glacier has been receding in recent years and over the past 50 years has lost nearly 1km of its length.
SKAFTAFELLSHEIÐI LOOP
On a fine day, the five- to six-hour walk around Skaftafellsheiði is a hiker’s dream. It begins by climbing from the campsite past Svartifoss and Sjónarsker, continuing across the moor to 610m-high Fremrihnaukur. From there it follows the edge of the plateau to the next rise, Nyrðrihnaukur (706m), which affords a superb view of Morsárdalur, Morsárjökull and the iceberg-choked lagoon at its base. At this point the track turns southeast to an outlook point on the cliff above Skaftafellsjökull (Gláma).
For the best view of Skaftafellsjökull, Morsárdalur and the Skeiðarársandur, it’s worth scaling the summit of Kristínartindar (1126m). The easiest way follows a well-marked route up the prominent valley southeast of the Nyrðrihnaukur lookout.
MORSÁRDALUR & BÆJARSTAÐARSKÓGUR
The seven-hour hike from the campsite to the glacial lake in Morsárdalur is fairly ordinary but enjoyable. There’s a footbridge across the lake outlet, and from there you can continue to Kjós. Alternatively, cross the Morsá on the footbridge near the point where the Kambgil ravine comes down from Skaftafellsheiði and make your way across the gravel riverbed to the birch woods at Bæjarstaðarskógur. The trees here reach a whopping (for Iceland) 12m, and 80°C springs flow into the tiny but heavenly Heitulækir to the west in Vestragil. The return walk to Bæjarstaðarskógur takes about six hours; add on an extra hour to visit Heitulækir.
OTHER HIKES
Other possibilities include the long day trip beyond Bæjarstaðarskógur into the rugged Skaftafellsfjöll. A recommended destination is the 965m-high summit of the Jökulfell ridge, which affords a commanding view of the vast expanses of Skeiðarárjökull. Even better is a three-day excursion into the Kjós region. When you reach Kjós, a very difficult hike leads to the base of Þumall (Thumb), then west along the glacier edge, around the valley rim and south down to your starting point.
Tours
The Icelandic Mountain Guides ( Reykjavík office 587 9999, Skaftafell 894 2959, 478 2559; www.mountainguide.is) is the country’s mountain-rescue squad, so you can feel pretty safe on the excellent organised hikes. It has staffed information desks at the Skaftafell visitor centre between April and mid-September, where you can book a place on a hike in person.
The mountain guides lead a range of walks, including glacier walks on Sólheimajökull and Svínafellsjökull; guided hikes up Iceland’s highest peak Click here; and longer backpack hikes including the challenging four-day route from Núpsstaðarskógar to Skaftafell, and an epic nine-day hike from Laki to Skaftafell (Ikr145,000). See the website for more suggestions.
Also based at Skaftafell in the summer, relative newcomers the Glacier Guides ( 659 7000; www.glacierguides.is; Jun-Aug) offer slightly cheaper glacier walks on two nearby glaciers. Their easiest walk is a 1½ hour stroll up Virkisjökull (per person Ikr4990, minimum age 8 years), a 15-minute drive away, with trips departing from Skaftafell at 9.15am, 11am, 1pm and 3.15pm daily. A tougher four-hour walk up Fjallsjökull (per person Ikr9990, minimum age 15 years) includes a stop at Jökulsárlón on the way back to Skaftafell.
There are sightseeing flights ( 478 2406, 899 2532; www.atf.is) from the tiny airfield just outside the national park over Vatnajökull, Grímsvötn, the Lakagígar crater row or the glaciers. Prices start at €130 for 30 minutes.
Sleeping & Eating
Visitor centre campsite ( 478 1627; sites per person Ikr850) Since Skaftafell is a national park, most people