Jóhann Viking
Hiking Mt. Skeggi
I have been hiking a lot, but I didn´t start until 2006. Before that I thought people who hiked were eccentric. What made me change my mind, was a trip to Peru. I went there to learn Spanish, but I also wanted to hike to Machu Picchu. A little voice inside me started to tell me that in spite of working out and dancing salsa, it would be wise to hike some mountains as well. I hiked Mt. Esja few times, but that didn´t give me any thrills. The thrill came when I hiked Salkantay to Machu Picchu. Since then I have been enjoying hiking. I love nature, the peacefulness, happiness and satisfaction that comes with hiking. Standing on the peak makes me so content, no matter the weather.
One afternoon in early June me and my friend hiked Mt. Skeggi, it is the highest peak (803 m) in a mountain range called Hengill.
It was around 6 pm when we started. During the summertime, time doesn’t matter, because of the light nights, you can hike 24/7.
We started at Sleggubeinadalur, near geothermal plant at Nesjavellir, which is the second largest geothermal plant in Iceland.
We followed the path through rocky volcanic environment, and steep and rocky valleys. Half way up the fog came sneaking in over the top.
It got colder but the weather was still mild. As we got higher, we notice that the snow was still there, but it was melting, so there were no need for the crampons. In the wintertime crampons are standard equipment when hiking Mt. Skeggi.
To get to the top we used gps, because it is dangerous to get off the path when the sight is limited.
Like we expected there was no view from the peak.
In a clear day one have a view over Lake Þingvellir, Reykjavík, the glacier Langjökull and the lava field Lambafellshraun, and of course the power plant.
As we sat there eating I started to think about the time before modern transportaion, when people eighter walked or rode, no matter how the weather was.
No wonder that people believed in elfs, trolls and ghosts. The lava takes on all kinds of formation especially in the fog, and the dusk.
When we were descending my mind started playing with me.
My friend was dress in a typical icelandic sweather, and when I looked at him surrounded by the fog,
he briefly turned into our most famous outlaw, Fjalla Eyvindur. I shock it off, came back to reality, and notice that the fog was almost gone.
The landscape was changing from being rocky and snowy to becoming green, soft and colourful.
This hike is awsome and takes about 5 to 6 hours. Psysically challenging, but worth it even in a fog.
-Harpa the hiker