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Mt
Valahnukur
(458 m) protrudes just west of the Langidalur Valley, where
The Icelandic Touring Association’s hut is situated.
The ascent is easy and the view from the top is excellent on a
fine day. Sometimes the
hikers want to spend more time outdoors than it takes to climb the
mountain and retrace their steps down the slopes until they find the
path, which circumnavigates the mountain.
On their way, some make a short detour to take a closer look at a
small cave called Valahnuksbol, used as a shelter by the farmers
attending or rounding up the sheep in the past, and continue to the
Husadalur Valley further north. On
the northern side of the ridge are the ruins of the farm Thuridarstadir,
probably dating back to the settlement of the area.
The cave Sottarhellir (Disease Cave) is situated a short distance
to the west of the Husadalur Valley.
On the way up that Valley are younger and equally old ruins of
still another farm. When
the hikers have almost reached the ridge between the Valleys
Husadalur and Langidalur on their way back, they encounter
the cave Snorrariki, which demands some climbing to be
reached.
The
Hamraskogar Forest
is a popular goal among the hikers.
This small, wooded area is situated to the north of the
Langidalur Valley and its northern boundary is River Thronga.
Just north of the river are the ruins of still another ancient
farm called Steinfinnsstadir. The
reddish looking scoria craters Fauskheidi tempt a detour for a closer
inspection.
Mt
Rjupnafell
demands rather a long walk from the Langidalur Valley hut.
The easiest approach lies through the Slyppugil Gully to the
Tindfjoll Gorge, across it and up the southwest shoulder of the
mountain. It is rather
steep, but well vegetated and relatively easy to climb.
On a fine day the view from up there is breathtaking.
The Budarhamar Cliff is
a stone’s throw to the north of River Krossa and the easiest approach
lies along it. Many hikers want to enjoy different landscapes on their way
and walk up the Slyppugil Gully and follow the sometimes narrow path in
the upper northern slopes of Mt Tindfjoll to descend on the southern
side of the ridge to their east. The
Cliff Stangarhals is also a tempting goal on the way down to River
Krossa below.
The
Storiendi Gully is an ideal goal for those who are pressed for time.
To make a round tour of it, many hikers walk up the Slyppugil
Gully to the highest part of the ridge at Mt Tindfjoll to continue
through a small pass down into the western part of the Gully Storiendi.
Then they follow River Krossa back to the hut in the Langidalur
Valley. NB.
Near the edge of the wooded area in the slopes is a large,
natural stone arch.
Glaciers
Krossarjokull and Tungnakvislarjokull require
a whole day and it is recommended to take a closer look at the
Teigstungur area at the same time.
Mt
Heidarhorn
is easily visible from the Valley Langidalur and looks very tempting.
The trail up there lies through the Strakagil Gully and across
the depression to the west of the mountain, where the ascent is easy. From there is possible to continue across the Morinsheidi
Plain, the Heljarkambur and the Brattafonn to the huts in the
Fimmvorduhals Saddle between the two glaciers.
From there the path descends to the farm, school and museum
centre Skogar on the South Coast.
Mt
Rettarfell and Mt Utigonguhofdi.
Both are accessible from the pass between them above the Touring
Association Utivist’s hut at Basar.
Another approach through the Hvanna Gorge is also interesting.
Mt
Hatindar
offers an excellent view on a fine day.
The approach takes the hikers through the Stakkholt summer
pastures, just south of the mouth of the Hvanna Gorge.
The
Glaciers Gigjokull and Steinsholtsjokull, their Lagoons and the Gorge
Stakkholtsgja usually
are visited, when people are enroute to or from the Thorsmork area in
their vehicles. All of these places are relatively easily approached and
are short detours on foot from the road.
Times
and distances are not mentioned in this description.
A thumb rule tells us that a hiker covers about 4 kilometres per
hour on a plain surface and for each 450 m ascent one hour should be
added.
Remember: Hikers only
leave their footprints and only take memories back home! |