Laugavegur - Itinerary of Day 3
- Start & End / Direction: Álftavatn to Emstrur. North to South.
- Distance: About 16 km for the basic trail. 5 - 6 km for the detour.
- Time:
- Official: About 6 to 7 hr
- Actual: About 5 hr + detour 1.5 hr (08:00 - 12:50 , detour 16:00 - ??, Aug. 31, 2023)
- Descending about 60 - 80 m (Altitude 554 m to about 460 - 488 m)
- Route: Álftavatn - Hvanngil - Emstrur - (detour) - Emstrur
- Weather: Cloudy / bit rainy, to sunny.
Time Table of Day 3 of Laugavegur
- 08:00 Departed from Álftavatn
- 08:37 Finished fording Bratthálskvísl
- 09:50 Finished fording Bláfjallakvísl
- 12:50 Arrived at Emstrur
- Lunch, rest, nap
- 16:00 Departed for the detour
- 17:10 On the way back (didn't record the arrive time.)
Track of Day 3 of Laugavegur
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| Track of Laugavegur in day3, descending overall / Img: Self-recorded track on the screen of the Taiwanese App "Journal in the Woods" |
Laugavegur - Day 3
On day 3 I departed near Lake Álftavatn.
Soon after the departure, about 1.5 km from Álftavatn and 2.3 km to Hvanngil, there was River Bratthálskvísl to be ford.
Although the river was shallow, we still had to take off our shoes.
This was just the appetizer for the day!
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| River Bratthálskvísl / Photo: Yun (Me) |
The moss green plain unfolded after the river, which was quite beautiful.
We came across with some sheep, running away from us! They ran FAST!
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| View of day 3 of Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
It didn't take long to arrive at Hvanngil. There were huts, and some would choose to stay here instead of the huts of Álftavatn.
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| Huts and campsite were available at Hvanngil. / Photo: Yun (Me) |
I went to ask the wardens of Hvanngil about how to ford the second river, and I found it helpful.
Besides, you can get some clues about the status of the river.
I just found the names of the rivers look so much alike...! Anyway, there'd be 2 rivers in total to ford in day 3.
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| The friendly bridge across River Kaldaklofskvísl / Photo: Yun (Me) |
When checked upon the bridge, River Kaldaklofskvísl did look more swift.
I think Laugavegur trail was designed considerable and fun at the same time, where some rivers were open for hikers to ford, and some were with bridges to cross.
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| Bridge available upon River Kaldaklofskvísl / Photo: Yun (Me) |
Then it'd be River Bláfjallakvísl.
According to the warden, when we come across Bláfjallakvísl, do not ford the river at the crossroads!
Instead, go upwards a little bit to the place with small gravel island in the middle of the river.
However, the situation or the island may change when you're going hiking, so it should depends on the suggestions on the spot.
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| Guide of fording River Bláfjallakvísl by wardens of Hvanngil / Photo: Yun (Me) |
Before fording the river, one of the hikers and I saw a jeep passing by! And I chose not to hitch-hiked!
The river was unbelievably COLD!! All hikers would agree that!
I was not the only one saying this, and surely it was not because I was the only Asian subtropical islander!!
A Londoner said, "Define COLD." 😱 Such a powerful and precise way of describing the coldness.
The water! It was even colder that the water of the swimming pool in the ice field of Kangerlussuaq, Greenland!
It was so cold that I felt every inch of my skin burning, yet I simply could not get out of it right away.
Thankfully there was the small gravel island for me to rest.
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| River Bláfjallakvísl. The water was damn cold. / Photo: Yun (Me) |
I hadn't have much fording experience.
Luckily, there were always hikers ahead of me when I was going to ford the rivers, so I got the chance to ask them first.
I'd suggest that solo hikers who don't have much fording experience ford rivers when there are others nearby.
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| Vegetation on the trail of Laugavegur on day 3 / Photo: Yun (Me) |
After that, the trail would enter a black plain. It was a bit boring of course after the challenge and excitement.
Just check out some flowers and vegetation alone the way to smooth the shock...
Nonetheless, the borderless and wide views of Laugavegur were still breathtaking.
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| River Innri Emstruá, bridge available / Photo: Yun (Me) |
What's more, I thought the hills on the way were special. They were like poping out of the ground suddenly, or like cones put on a plain.
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| The abrupt hills on Laugavegur trail / Photo: Yun (Me) |
There were some car traces, woven with the hiker trails.
More attention could be paid in case of taking the car traces and thus some longer routes.
Although there seemed no vegetation, some little moss or lichen did exist.
So if you get the wrong way and have to make it back, you'll have to walk on the vegetation, which I felt a bit sorry for them.
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| The silver, grayish and red land alone the trail / Photo: Yun (Me) |
There was a section where you'd enter a magical, silver, grayish and red land, which covered with twinkling sands. It way so stunning!
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| Somewhere near Emstrur, where the huts were at the corner / Photo: Yun (Me) |
It didn't take long before I reach the huts.
The huts of Emstrur were at the bowl of the hills on the left of the following picture.
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| Somewhere near Emstrur, where the huts were at the corner / Photo: Yun (Me) |
Huts of Emstrur
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| Botnar huts, Emstrur, Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
When I arrived at the huts, the wardens were still tidying the rooms, so we all waited a bit outside.
I remember that I read it somewhere that there was service at Emstrur, at some hill?
But I didn't climb onto any hills.
So basically, there was no services in the huts.
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| Kitchen and dining space of Botnar huts, Emstrur, Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
I boiled water to cook my meal right after I entered the hut. I was starving!
However, living with fellow hikers for days brought some friction inevitably.
Especially in this kind of huts where beds, dining space and kitchen were all together, no personal space basically.
You will be either on your bed, or at the dining tables, or stay outside to enjoy the cold winds.
Still, comparing to camping in winds and rains, huts were definitely more comfy.
It depends.
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| Bunk beds of Botnar huts, Emstrur, Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
If you're going to read on bed, just remember to bring the head light.
Detour of Day 3 Laugavegur Trail
It took a while for me to rest in the huts before I departed for the detour.
I didn't have the map for the detour, so I followed the sign poles completely. I think the trail was overall safe.
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| The Vally view of the detour of day 3 on Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
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| The Vally view of the detour of day 3 on Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
The detour could be hiked in an O shape, but I chose the same way back.
It was windy, and there was just me and the crazy winds and the deep valley when I was on my way back.
So I tended to be more conservative, not checking out the other half way.
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| The Vally view of the detour of day 3 on Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
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| The Vally view of the detour of day 3 on Laugavegur / Photo: Yun (Me) |
The turning point happened at the place where we could see River Markarfljot and River Fremri Emstruá crossed.
Actually on day 4 we'd hike to the waist of the valley to cross a bridge to the other side.
I remember on the official website of Laugavegur they did introduce the detour, but somehow I cannot find the description now.
I suggest that before you depart for the detour, do ask the warden of Emstrur whether the detour trail is open.
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