Where We Be
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| If the weather's good and you're in decent shape (we're 55 and we did it!), you're gonna love the Tindfjoll Circle |
| Tindfjoll Hike -- Thorsmork, Iceland |
One of our favorite hikes of all time! The
Tindfjoll Circle is about 10 km (6 miles) all told
and takes in some truly breathtaking scenery.
And it does it all without too much elevation
gain or loss from the Langidalur Hut where we
stayed. That’s not to say it doesn't have its
steep sections, but for the scenic rewards it
offers it's worth every bit of effort, and the
scenery is so good you'll hardly notice. We'd
call it a moderate hike. It took us about four
hours altogether, with plenty of photo stops.
What we loved most about the hike was how
the views kept changing. It wasn’t just one
spectacular view but five or six different ones.
As we made our way around the loop we were
greeted with new vistas each time we crested a
hill or made a turn in a different direction. A
new glacial valley, a new mountain range, a
new startling rock formation or cave. There was
even a bubbling stream at the beginning of the
trail. I can’t remember a trail I’ve enjoyed this
much since perhaps Carthew-Alderson in
Waterton, Canada. Of course it helped hugely
that we had sun for almost the whole hike.
Iceland just moved way up in our rankings!
Tindfjoll Circle is about 10 km (6 miles) all told
and takes in some truly breathtaking scenery.
And it does it all without too much elevation
gain or loss from the Langidalur Hut where we
stayed. That’s not to say it doesn't have its
steep sections, but for the scenic rewards it
offers it's worth every bit of effort, and the
scenery is so good you'll hardly notice. We'd
call it a moderate hike. It took us about four
hours altogether, with plenty of photo stops.
What we loved most about the hike was how
the views kept changing. It wasn’t just one
spectacular view but five or six different ones.
As we made our way around the loop we were
greeted with new vistas each time we crested a
hill or made a turn in a different direction. A
new glacial valley, a new mountain range, a
new startling rock formation or cave. There was
even a bubbling stream at the beginning of the
trail. I can’t remember a trail I’ve enjoyed this
much since perhaps Carthew-Alderson in
Waterton, Canada. Of course it helped hugely
that we had sun for almost the whole hike.
Iceland just moved way up in our rankings!
| This was our view when we woke up in the morning |
| Tindfjall means "Mountain Peaks" and Hringur means "Ring" |
| Before long we clear the trees (and a merry little brook) and find ourselves in high country -- our favorite! |
| The scenery changes with every hill we crest and turn we take |
| "I like this hike!" quickly becomes our mantra |
| An extra bonus is the solitude -- we start hiking at 9:30 am and only see a few others on this trail |
| We don't mind having this kind of scenery all to ourselves |
| If you like to hike, then don't miss this! Be sure to include Thorsmork and Landmannalaugar in your plans. |
| Three quarters of the way through the clockwise hike you come to this spot. At the top of the crest is a killer view. (The hiking map shows a "scenic" icon at this spot). |
| The orange-brown line denotes the Tindfjoll Circle (pronounced TIND-FYOH-tl). As noted above, the loop is about 10 km (6 mi) long and it took us about 4 hours at a nice, relaxed pace. |
| From here there are amazing views in all directions |
| What a great spot for our picnic lunch! |
| HIking towards home -- the scenery still doesn't disappoint |
| The volcanic origins of Iceland are all too apparent as you make this loop |
| Happiness is a great day of hiking |
| The last stretch is along the braided river valley |
| In the evening we revisit the braided river valley for a final magnificent view before dark |
| A sunny day in Iceland is always something to get excited about |
| Even the restroom and shower facilities look pretty |
| Tent camping doesn't sound so bad on a morning like this (but other mornings aren't always so kind) |
| Looking back towards camp (to the right), the views are already great |
| Relaxing at a picnic bench near the hut |
