An Iceland Expedition

I embarked on an alternative Iceland crossing – an entirely solo 2500 km / 1500 mi route around most of the island, taking 3.5 months to complete. I carved my own route through the otherworldly ashlands of Iceland, going in and out of the Highlands, coming back to the Ring Road to resupply. It was desolate and cold and lonely and in retrospect, probably the best adventure ever.

Scroll down for the route, blogs and more information on my hike!

Start date + point: 31 May 2017, Vatnaleið bus stop (Snaefellsnes Peninsula)
Finish date + point: 10 September 2017, Goðafoss
Total distance walked: 2,532 km / 1,573 mi
Total days: 103
Walking days: 86
Zero days: 17 (Of which, Rest/Resupply days: 10, Sitting out bad weather: 4, Waiting for packages: 3)
Average distance per day: 29.5 km / 18.3 mi

Days slept in tent: 101 (Home: 1, Mountain hut: 1)
Days wild camped: 46
Total showers: 23
Longest time without shower: 12 days
People spoken to: ~ 10
River crossings: ~ 40

The route I followed started west in Snaefellsnes Peninsula and ended north at Goðafoss. I followed a collection of roads (blue), scarcely travelled dirt roads (brown), and hiking trails (green). I crossed through several remarkable hiking areas, such as Hengill, Lakagígar, Lónsöræfi and the East Fjords. And I made sure my route linked up with some renowned trails, like the Hellismannaleið, Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails, and the Askja Trail.
The map shows all the places I set up my tent at night, and each blog below includes a more detailed map for the relevant section hiked.

GEAR

Gear List For A 3.5 Month Hike Through Iceland

ABOUT THE HIKE

What It’s REALLY Like to (Almost) Walk Iceland’s Ring Road, Twice

81 Places to (Wild!) Camp in Iceland (Stories & Advice for Future Hikers)

BLOGS

An Iceland Expedition (part 1) : The Dawn of a Long Trek, walking from Snaefellsnes Peninsula to Borgarnes

An Iceland Expedition (part 2) : A First Glimpse of the Highlands, walking from Borgarnes to Þingvellir

An Iceland Expedition (part 3) : On Finally Finding Hiking Trails in Hengill and Successfully Getting Stuck in a Storm, walking from Þingvellir to Selfoss

An Iceland Expedition (part 4) : How to Survive F Road River Crossings and Carrying More Than Two Weeks Worth of Food on Your Back, walking from Selfoss to Rjupnavellir

An Iceland Expedition (part 5) : The Hellismannaleið Trail, walking from Rjupnavellir to Landmannalaugar

An Iceland Expedition (part 6) : The Wonderland of the Laugavegur Trail, walking from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk

An Iceland Expedition (part 7) : Hiking Þórsmörk and the Fimmvörðuháls Trail, walking from Þórsmörk to Skógar

An Iceland Expedition (part 8) : A Fairytale Called Lakagígar, walking from Skógar to Kirkjubæjarklaustur

An Iceland Expedition (part 9) : When Iceland is a Massive Jerk and Throws You Lemons, walking from Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Höfn

An Iceland Expedition (part 10) : Get Your GPS Out! The Adventure of Hiking Without a Trail in Lónsöræfi, walking from Höfn to Snæfell

An Iceland Expedition (part 11) : Mt Doom (Snæfell!) and the Waterfall Trail, walking from Snæfell to Snæfellstofa

An Iceland Expedition (part 12) : The Day I Hiked The East Fjords and Realised MOUNTAINS ARE DANGEROUS (and It Was Scary), walking from Snæfellstofa to Egilsstaðir

An Iceland Expedition (part 13) : Blueberries & The East Fjords, walking from Egilsstaðir to Egilsstaðir

An Iceland Expedition (part 14) : Askja(!), walking from Egilsstaðir to Mývatn

An Iceland Expedition (part 15) : Going North, walking from Mývatn to Ásbyrgi

An Iceland Expedition (part 16) : To the Waterfall of the Gods, walking from Ásbyrgi to Goðafoss

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ABOUT ROAMING WILD ROSIE

Hi! I’m Rosanne, or Cosmo, a long distance hiking enthusiast based in Europe. My unexpected love for exploring nature has taken me all over the world, and I’m always searching for new hikes and new ideas. My website is all about the trails I have walked and any advice I can give you so that you can do the same. I love photographing so expect a lot of pictures and long stories!

ABOUT ROAMING WILD ROSIE

Hi! I’m Rosanne, or Cosmo, a long distance hiking enthusiast based in Europe. My unexpected love for exploring nature has taken me all over the world, and I’m always searching for new hikes and new ideas. My website is all about the trails I have walked and any advice I can give you so that you can do the same. I love photographing so expect a lot of pictures and long stories!