14 Aug 2024 3 min read Field Notes

Laugavegur Day 2

(Álftavatn → Emstrur-Botnar)

describe Iceland in one word... otherworldly

We broke camp at Álftavatn in perfect conditions. Clear skies, strong visibility, and the kind of weather that makes you stop “just for a quick look” every ten minutes. It also turned into a drone-heavy day. When Iceland gives you clean light and big horizons, you take the hint.

stunning canyons, "rhino mountain", and the "rock ape"

The trail out of Álftavatn felt like a transition day, not because it was boring, but because the landscape kept switching personalities. You leave the lake behind and the terrain opens up into broad, dark plains that feel almost desert-like. A lot of that ground is glacial outwash mixed with volcanic material. Meltwater from the ice carries fine sediment and spreads it into wide flats, and then wind and weather keep sculpting it. It’s why the surface can feel loose and gritty in sections, and why the color palette leans black, gray, and ash-brown even on a sunny day.

This is also where Iceland’s “built yesterday” feeling shows up again. The island is still actively shaped by volcanism and ice at the same time. Volcanic rock gets laid down, glaciers grind it into flour, rivers redistribute it, and the trail cuts straight through the result. You can feel that process under your shoes.

Trail-wise, this was a steady day with one very easy water crossing. Nothing spicy. More of a quick in-and-out that barely registers, which is nice when you know tougher crossings exist elsewhere on the route.

We also linked up with a few other hikers beyond our AT crew. The Laugavegur has a social gravity. If your pace matches someone’s for an hour, you start leapfrogging breaks, sharing trail stories, and suddenly you are a little traimily (trail + family) moving in the same direction.

We hiked into the Emstrur-Botnar hut area early in the day and set up camp. Without our packs we went for an extra 3 mile hike to take some incredible photos. The campsite felt like a proper waypoint. More exposed than the green valleys you see later, but organized, functional, and exactly what you want after a long day of open-country walking.