It’s 9:44 and we’re finally ready to set off. Bags on back, walking sticks in place we head straight up the stairs to the top of the Skógafoss falls – that’s only 63m up but I’m already in pain! only 21.94 km to go for today… The kids each carry their sleeping bag, snacks and water which is already quite heavy but within acceptable range. Apparently you’re not supposed to carry more than 20-25% of your body weight which Thierry and I are both 50-100% over. Those who know me know that I like to be prepared for every eventuality – I’ll think twice next time… But the adrenaline keeps us going and we’re thrilled to start off under a bright, dry sky.
The walk is absolutely gorgeous – waterfalls abound, beautiful rolling hills, creeks and flowers. We try to rhythm our breaks to every 4-5km which takes us about 2 hours. A nice piece of Comté from our favorite fromager in Douvaine and some yummy local sourdough bread – the perfect picnic. Thank you We Crazy girls for the perfect gift which was inaugurated at this point and since been used almost daily!!
After the green spaces we head up to the glacier – 1100m up. The landscape is very surreal. Black – white – ash and stone. It’s windy and chilly but the walk is keeping us warm enough. I”m a bit overly optimistic with my solar panel charger pinned to my backpack. 😉
Post ascent comes a longish descent toward the (in)famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano and the two new craters that were created with the 2010 eruption: Magni and Módi, after the sons of Thor, the Norse god of thunder. This is a little over halfway and it’s already 4pm. Thierry and I are absolutely blown away by the kids’ energy and stamina. I can’t remember if I have ever done anything as physically challenging as this and I am miserable with shoulder pain. It feels like I’m carrying my overloaded pack on bare bones (indeed, the skin was rubbing off at this point). Anjali tries her best as a cheerleader, proposing games and distractions to keep me going.
After all the snow, ice and ashes we end up at a cliff. A teeny path with a slippery, steep descent and a dodgy looking chain to hold on to, but that is already partly unfastened. We’re tired, it’s late by now and our balance is not at its best. I feel terrible – what a silly choice to bring the children here. We didn’t cross any other children of any age along the way, let alone as little as ours. No guide spoke of the dangers – at least none of the ones I’ve read – and had we known we would have at least brought a rope. There is no going back, though, so under Thierry’s guidance all three kids make it across like the big champions they are. Without as much as a grumble, even, which goes to show just how much context matters….
After this nervous excitement and lots of rocks we reach a mossy patch. By now it’s 7:30pm and we “only” managed 23 of the 27km we targeted today. The kids declare this the perfect camping spot and we are relieved to concede.
Time to set up the tents. Which takes us almost an hour because it’s the first time and our brains are not at their working best. Spirits are still high though, because everyone is excited to finally light up our gas burner and have one of our delicious astronaut soups (sounds cooler than just dehydrated veggie powder). Pots and dishes are out, children sitting nicely in a semi circle, the view is amazing, everything is pretty much perfect. Except for one small, but important thing that is missing: matches. Between changes of clothes for every type of weather and rescue material for practically any circumstance in my 27kg backpack I managed to forget to pack the matches. So more crackers and cheese it is. Given how tired everyone is and how beautiful the view is, we don’t mind too much though.
What a great idea that camp spot was! After a good rest we pack up and leave at 8:30am – and realise that we have kilometres of a moonlike, rocky landscape ahead of us. The kids’ intuition saved us from what would have surely turned into a very uncomfortable night!
It’s amazing, actually, how quickly and radically the landscapes change. More rather dangerous passages lie ahead which we are happy to take on in a more alert state of mind. After 3km we stop to have a snack. We’re almost out of water at this stage and no creek in sight. I just assumed Iceland had a spring and waterfall every few steps – another mis-plan!
Just after setting off again, Vyas starts to vomit. We insert a few more rest stops to let him have a quick nap. Instead, he vomits some more. Practically every 15min. The poor boy is so exhausted from the previous day that he cannot keep anything in, not even a sip of water.
Our mission now is to get to Basar Campground in Þórsmörk as quickly as possible. And to find water.
We finally get there around lunch time. We settle down to have some lunch – they have a small kiosk and I can buy the much missed matches! Porridge never tasted this good…..!
Vyas seems back in shape so we decide to continue but to shorten the trek especially since we’re now way behind schedule – doing another 55km in just 3 days seems unreasonable. We recalibrate for only the first leg of the Laugavegur Trek and opt for hikes in the area instead. It’s 3pm, the sun is now out and we can head off. We’re really impressed with how friendly and helpful everyone is. Two more fun nights of camping in the wild – we’re now able to set up camp in less than 20min!
We discover the Vulcano Huts – a really fun campground and the end point of the legendary Laugevegur marathon. We see the runners arrive who can barely keep upright – what a challenge to do this whole thing in one day!! That’s for next year 😝
For our last night out “in the wild” we find the perfect spot perched between some bushes overlooking the valley below down to the river. The temperature is pleasant and we’re protected from the wind so we decide to ditch the tent and sleep out under the bare sky. Just as we’re all huddled up the first little drops start to fall. The practical and admittedly unadventurous side of me comes out and I usher everyone into the tent – only one, since it was meant as a back up only. Thierry feels very Sean Penn inspired and decides to brave the wilderness in its purest form – that is until I find him setting up the song tent around midnight, already soaked. 😆. The next morning the fog is heavy and the perspective of campfire porridge amidst the rain in wet tents does not stay up to the standard of the past few days so we decide to break camp early at 5am and head back down a few hours ahead of schedule. We manage to get on the next bus back to Reykjavik and the bus ride itself turns into a bit of a spectacle as the bus makes it through several quite dynamic river beds. We reach Reykjavik by lunch time, excitedly take a nice hot shower in our cute hotel (105 – A Townhouse Hotel) and head over to Kaktus for a little slice of heavenly avocado key lime pie that I’ve been dreaming of every time I chewed on my energy bars these past few days!
We can now say that this first family adventure was more challenging and in different ways so than expected – we declare it a big success. Well done kids and Thierry’s and my black and blue marks from the bags don’t even hurt anymore. We’re officially hardened for the next chapter!