Expedition to Iceland by Ben Esse

Over summer 2012 I took part in a two week expedition to Iceland. This involved living out of our rucksacks for nine days and within this we had a five day trek from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork national park, which lay in the shadow of Eyjafjallajoekull, the volcano that erupted in 2010. This trek would take us over lava fields, past volcanic, sulfurous vents and through some of the most stunning scenery I have ever seen. We first spent two nights in the Thingvellir nation park, camping within 200m of the Mid Atlantic Ridge, where we spent time running final checks on our equipment, along with cursing the masses of flies. For the trek we would be carrying all our kit, so a quality rucksack was a must. I used the Deuter Aircontact 65+10L bag, with an assortment of Exped fold drybags to ensure my kit would stay dry in the changeable weather. For the majority of the trek we would be walking on rocky ground (there was little or no living things for the first two days) which turned out to be no problem for my Scarpa Trek boots, which handled the terrain with ease. This also meant that the ground was often covered in stones and rocks, however I had no problem sleeping with my Thermarest mat keeping me warm and comfy. From Thingvellir we took a bus to Landmannalaugar, stopping to view some of Iceland’s iconic landmarks, Geyser and Gullfoss. We were also shown an old volcanic crater that had been filled with rainwater to form a lake, which was beautiful. Upon arrival at the campsite, it began to rain, so we quickly pitched our tents, using rocks to secure the guide ropes in the rocky ground. Thankfully the rain slowed to a persistent drizzle and after cooking tea we gladly relaxed in the local natural hot springs.


The next morning we were up early and packed to go. The first section of the day would be navigating the lava field, then a 500m climb up to 1000m in the mountains. The lava field was an amazing start, with towers of jagged obsidian surrounding us as we passed through. On the other side, the rain returned, with a vengeance. In Iceland, there is a saying: ‘If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes and it will have changed’ and I was thankful to my North Face shell and Sprayway overtrousers for keeping me as dry. The climb was steep and hard going, but once we were at the top, the view was phenomenal. The wind and rain stayed with us throughout the day, but our spirits never fell. However, near the end of the day we came across a memorial to a walker who had been caught in a blizzard in summer 2008, which really brought home to us the seriousness of the conditions. We were thankful when we finally reached the campsite, although I have never been anywhere so barren. The pitches were surrounded by makeshift walls of obsidian rocks, to keep the tents from the worst of the wind and the site itself was on a stony mountainside. There was nothing living in sight.

The next day we set off again, now coming out of the mountains and onto a flat plateau. The second day was easier going than the first, though the weather was still the same. But, again as the Icelandic say, ‘there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad equipment’ and my Fjall Raven Karl trousers and Sealskinz gloves kept me warm from the wind. I was really pleased with how both performed under the conditions. We reached the campsite and pitched the tents, thankful to be sleeping on grass again.

On the third day, we left our tents pitched and went for a day walk through the valley in which we were staying. The weather was much better, the rain and wind dropped and the sun came out, making it a pleasant walk.

The next morning was a very early start, as we had received news of a storm coming in from the Atlantic. The pace was set a little higher as we crossed an ash field spanning miles. It was hard walking on the loose surface, but it was flat and so we made good time, getting into camp before the storm. That night the wind was vicious, but luckily we were in a steep valley out of the worst of it.

Having gotten through the night in one piece we set off on our last day. By this point, we were tired and worn out from the trek, however my feet copped with the walking thanks in part to my Bridgedale Comfort Trekker socks. The final leg of the journey took us through a forest, which was a stark contrast to the lifeless slopes in the mountains, and down into a wide floodplain valley. Towards the end of the day, a light drizzle came down, but my Tilley hat had no problems in keeping off the rain, and keeping my visibility up. We finally reached the campsite, where we settled down to rest for the next two nights. The scenery was picturesque and we enjoyed two short walks the next day in the surrounding landscape.

From this trip I really learned the value of good quality kit, as it could easily be all that separates you from serious problems or death when the conditions turn bad. Not only this, but keeping warm and dry makes a trip much more enjoyable, no one likes being cold and wet all the time! I have found that the experience you gain from going out there and enjoying it is worth the preparation involved.