Friday was volcano day. I've always wanted to see an active volcano with a real lava flow, and this was our chance. We had met two couples on the trip who had been, and both confirmed that a trip to the volcano while somewhat arduous (5 mile hike there and another 5 miles back) was indeed as incredible as it sounded. I don't know, there is just something elemental about the raw power of liquid rock spewing from the earth. Apparently it makes the sound of breaking glass as it cools. Neat.
The day started early. The drive from Reykjavik was about an hour each way, then I figured at least 5 hours of hiking and an hour at the volcano, so maybe about 8 hours to get this done. We splashed out for a hotel for our last two nights in Iceland, so I wanted to leave a little time at the end of the day to check in and maybe see a bit of Reykjavik. We got on the road around 6am. It was pretty cold and overcast, but the forecast called for only a small chance of light rain in the early morning, so we weren't too worried. We got to the parking area around 7am just to find out that the trails weren't open until 8. No big deal, it gave us some time to pack our bag with sandwiches we made the night before and all the rain gear we hoped we wouldn't need and we all had a bit of breakfast and another cup of coffee.
When 8am came around, we set off on our hike in high spirits. I was a little apprehensive because we had never done a hike so long, but the hike was pretty flat and we're all in relatively good shape, so I felt like it wouldn't be a big deal. It was a beautiful hike. We almost never hike flat trails (usually the things worth seeing require a bit of a climb - especially in New England) so this was a nice change. Also, it was nice to see Iceland up close. We had been driving by land like this for a week now and had enjoyed it's beauty from afar. Close up it was pretty special too. Mosses, grasses and wonderful tiny wild flowers covered the volcanic rocks in a lush blanket. the ocean was on our right, lovely hills on our left and a flat plain stretching out before us with a steaming volcano in the distance. With the wind blowing the morning mist into an eerie fog, it was a pretty incredible walk.
About 45 minutes into the hike it started to rain. just a sprinkle at first. The kind of misty rain you're sure will blow over in a few minutes. The sun even peaked through the clouds a couple of times, taunting us with it's promise of warmth. The rain did not blow over though. The wind picked up and the rain got more and more steady. By the time we were halfway to the volcano, we were soaked to the bone and freezing and the rain showed no sign of abating. No choice but to forge on though, we were not going to miss out on the volcano. I have to say that Madeleine was a champ. Through the cold and wet, she never complained once, she just put one foot in front of the other, until we got to our destination - the Litli - Hrutur volcano. Which of course was dead.
Litli - Hrutur Volcano
Yup, dead. It had stopped erupting the night before. The lava field that just hours prior had been a molten inferno spewing lava from beneath the earth's surface was now just a steaming wall of jet black rock. We were deflated. Our disappointment was compounded by the fact that we had to hike 5 miles in the rain back to our van. Oh well, what can you do. We took in the cooling lava field which was really quite impressive. (a wall of steaming black rock with a recently active volcano in the background is not something you see everyday) then started our hike back. The rain mercifully let up, and as the morning wore on, we saw more and more hikers heading towards the volcano. Apparently, people have been descending on Iceland from all over to see this volcano. We didn't have the heart to tell them it was dead.
Anyway, we got back to the camper and I made some cheesy scrambled eggs to warm everyone up. we changed into dry clothes and set off for Reykjavik and our hotel. We loved our camper, but it would be nice to have a bed to stretch out into and be able to take a shower without walking through a campsite to some dodgy outbuilding. We also got a chance to do a little exploring around Reykjavik's downtown (our hotel was pretty centrally located).
So what to say about our volcano experience? Weather and expectations. If it wasn't for weather and expectations, it would have been an amazing experience. If you had told me I could have an amazing hike through beautiful countryside with my family, and at the end of it we would see a steaming lava field, literally the newest part of planet earth, I would have been thrilled. However, the misery of being cold and wet, and the disappointment of not seeing an active lava flow tempered our enjoyment. Still, it's an experience I won't soon forget.
Worth it? Absolutely.
