Where We Be
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| The Slyppugil hike offers terrific views back down at Langidalur Hut. Right behind the hut is Mount Valahnukur - the first hike we did. |
| Slyppugil Hike -- Thorsmork, Iceland |
We had plenty of time before our 2:30 pm Trex
bus departure, so after breakfast we hiked the
Slyppugil trail. The hut warden recommended it
to us as the next-best after the first two hikes,
which are really the premier hikes in the area.
Most visitors don’t have time for a third hike,
so we were all alone on this trail and never saw
another soul. Since we had to be out of the hut
from 10 to noon anyway (while the staff clean),
we were in no rush. We hiked slowly to the top
and were greeted with outstanding views. We
were essentially seeing the same mountains as
before on Tinfjall but from the other side of the
valley. After reaching the blockbuster view at
the top, we hiked back down by a different path.
The Trex bus reached the Hella (HET-la) bus
stop at 4:30 pm. We only had a five-minute walk
to our Airbnb in Hella (called Uxi), so this was a
convenient answer for our in-between night.
Another Trex bus would pick us up at the same
bus stop in the morning, saving us a long
commute to and from Reykjavik. So if you want
to visit both Thorsmork and Landmannalaugar
but without a thru-hike, this is a great option.
bus departure, so after breakfast we hiked the
Slyppugil trail. The hut warden recommended it
to us as the next-best after the first two hikes,
which are really the premier hikes in the area.
Most visitors don’t have time for a third hike,
so we were all alone on this trail and never saw
another soul. Since we had to be out of the hut
from 10 to noon anyway (while the staff clean),
we were in no rush. We hiked slowly to the top
and were greeted with outstanding views. We
were essentially seeing the same mountains as
before on Tinfjall but from the other side of the
valley. After reaching the blockbuster view at
the top, we hiked back down by a different path.
The Trex bus reached the Hella (HET-la) bus
stop at 4:30 pm. We only had a five-minute walk
to our Airbnb in Hella (called Uxi), so this was a
convenient answer for our in-between night.
Another Trex bus would pick us up at the same
bus stop in the morning, saving us a long
commute to and from Reykjavik. So if you want
to visit both Thorsmork and Landmannalaugar
but without a thru-hike, this is a great option.
| Ah, luxury! Just having a private room and a modern bath with shower felt indulgent after two nights of hut camping. Our Airbnb stay at Uxi Iceland made for a great break in between hut stays. |
| I've outlined in yellow the route we took on the Slyppugil hike. We climbed to the viewpoint (marked with the scenic icon) then circled around and came back by a different path. |
| From the scenic viewpoint you can still see Langidalur Hut, but it looks pretty tiny from up here |
| At the top -- another day in hiking paradise! |
| The weather threatened but held throughout our hike |
| The views were beautiful but sometimes desolate |
| Nature strikes many poses, from the forbidding to the joyful, and the contrast between the two can be startling sometimes |
| On the return hike we watched horses being led to a different pasture |
| Our host Uxi also happened to be an excellent chef who used to run his own restaurant. He cooked us both dinner AND breakfast -- included in our room rate of $200 per night. That's a great deal by Iceland standards. |