from Furufjörður to Reykjafjörður, 13,95 km

Today heating is turned on already at five.
Clouds are produced somewhere inside the peninsula and blown towards the coast. Over the pass is blue sky and that system suits me. Familiar river-crossing and over wet landscape towards the wall of the mountain. Should be the highest pass in Hornstrandir, 393 meters. Ascent is not as bad as I though, the trail meanders on the mountainside and is not very steep. Clouds get everywhere. It starts to drizzle, there’s strong wind and rainbow is shown. Patches of sun somewhere all the time. The pass is covered in snow, two people have come down here not long ago.
On the other side is a river heading for Þaralátursfjörður. The river has been distributed all over the valley. I dress as if it was summer, pants' legs off, sandals on. Splashing in water starts right away. Some smaller streams, some broader water. At places the ground is soft and sandals want to get stuck in mud. Water is freezing, as if my toes were in deep fridge. The glacier where this water comes from is right next to here and I can see it. Luckily sun comes out to warm my frozen toes. I see horse footprints and someone has walked barefoot.
Now over a flat mountain and then I can see the swimming pool. That's why I came here. There are many houses, a center of civilization.
Arctic terns attack when I approach the village. Luckily I have the hood on because at least one of them clearly suffers from diarrhea. How do folk manage it here? Some people move near one house and I head there. Campsite is in the direction that I came from. Yes, it is also possible to stay inside. But only for one night because a big group is coming. This is repeated many times. Damn mass tourism, ruins everything. There’s some obstacle showing the accommodation, if I could wait a little. I offer to wait in the pool that is next to the house. The lady happily agrees. Maybe I stink.
So I get to shower. Then I float in warm steaming water and make friends with terns that land on the edge. Icelandic flag above my head, icy ocean on one side, glacier on the other side. An ATV drives past, the driver waving his hand over his head to scare the birds. So I'm not the only one with this problem. A bunch of schoolteachers comes from the house. I share the accommodation with them.
To the house I walk holding walking stick above my head. Birds attack the highest point. Something I learned on Jan Mayen.
The teachers show me my room and are very friendly. I get a room of my own with two bunk beds. Teachers talk loudly and laugh all over the place. I make my usual hiker's dinner, the teachers come one by one to inquire about my goings. Only one of them tries to speak English. Then they start to make salad and grill meat. The smell is making me crazy. Later one of the teachers comes to offer me chocolate, not realizing that I'd prefer grilled meat. Well, chocolate will do in bad times. I manage to read a big chunk of book. The teachers drink beer and start to sing.
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from Bolungarvík to Furufjörður, 17,08 km
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a day in Reykjafjörður, 9,51 km

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