Ring Road Iceland - Vatnsskarð

Travelling through Vatnsskarð mountain pass on the way to Varmahlíð, I came across Stephan G. Stephansson's monument. Stephan was a renown Icelandic poet and farmer from the region who suffered from insomnia. As such he would write all night after finishing his farming work. A self-educated man, he only wrote in Icelandic even though he emigrated when he was 19 years old to Wisconsin, USA and later to Alberta, Canada. He returned to Iceland for the first time 45 years later when he was 64 years old and although none of his poetry has survived only his letters, he is highly regarded and considered "as one of Iceland's foremost men of letters".

The village of Varmahlíð is home to 140 residents. Small it may be but it is not to be underestimated. Living on the slope of a hill, the village is in the centre of the most prosperous agricultural region, rich in geo-thermal water and contains a number of greenhouses that grow tropical and sub-tropical fruit and vegetables.

The village is home to Iceland's most famous men's choir, Karlakórinn Heimir. Originally founded in 1927 it travels the world singing. In its 93 years, the choir has only had three conductors of which the second conductor held his position for 40 years.

The region's main industry is the Icelandic horse. A pure breed described as small almost pony-like, yet sturdy and hardy horse. Native to Iceland they have few diseases and due to Iceland's strict no horse-import policy they are not vaccinated against potential diseases. Although Icelandic horses are exported, once they leave the country they cannot return. Unique to these horses are their gaits. Known for their sure-footedness and ability to cross rough terrain the horses have an additional two gaits. Although difficult to articulate have a look at this link that describes their special gaits and history on how they arrived during the Viking Age in the 9th-10th centuries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_horse

Just north of Varmahlíð is the Glaumbær Farm and Museum, exhibiting 18th-19th centuries rural living in turf-roofed farmhouses. Turf was used as building material which first appeared over 1,000 years ago when the Vikings arrived. As timber was sparse and slow to regrow, the Vikings used turf to lay over a timber structure to form walls and a thick roof. The turf was sturdy and easily available providing insulation from the cold climate. However, due to its biodegradability and erosion from the harsh climate the turf needed to be replaced every 20 years.

Of course no daily trip is complete without a stop at a waterfall. Only 7km (4mi) from Varmahlíð, is Reykjafoss waterfall which is a result of Huseyjarkvisl river cascading 20m (69ft) over two wide steps into the river below and flowing onwards to the Atlantic Ocean. The Huseyjarkvisl river is one of the top sea trout rivers. Large fish are caught each year with one of the biggest measuring 96cm (3ft) and weighing as much as 6kg (13lb). Catch and release practices were introduced in 2000 which is one of the reasons for such large fish and the double digit catches.

Bye,

Richard



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Ring Road Iceland - Borgarnes

The Ring Road can be enjoyed in any direction, so I decided to go north and arrived in Borgarnes. It was fun travelling beneath Hvalfjörður fjord through the Hvalfjörður tunnel to get here. This 5.8km (3.8mi) long tunnel connects Reykjavik to the western and northern parts of Iceland. Apparently it reduces the travel by 45km (28mi). I also crossed Iceland's second longest bridge at 521m (1700ft) known as Borgarfjarðarbrú just before entering town.

Borgarnes is the gateway to Snaefellsnes Peninsula and the National Park within it holds Snaefellsjökull, a cone-shaped 700,000 year old glacier-capped stratovolcano that is often referred to as the “crown jewel of the peninsula" and it's the famous setting for Jules Vernes' novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

North of the Peninsula is the most photographed Kirkjufell Mountain. At 463m (1519ft) high the mountain beckons hikers to its summit for a breathtaking view but it's only suitable to hikers who don't suffer vertigo and are fit enough to take on the treacherous climb near the top. For movie buffs, Kirkjufell features in Games of Thrones (Season 6 & 7).

Nearby Borgarnes are several waterfalls, each with their own characteristics, such as Glymur, Glanni, Hraunfossar and Barnafossar Waterfalls. Glymur, accessed via a rugged trail, is the second tallest in Iceland with a cascade of 198m (649ft) falling into a canyon. Glanni sits near an ancient lava field but it is also said to be the home of elves and trolls. Hraunfossar and Barnafassor are near each other and both stream out of Hallmundarhraun, a lava plain created by volcanic eruptions on Langjökull, the second largest ice cap in Iceland.

There are four national forests within the region with a mix of birch woods and native conifers, however, some of the tallest and oldest birch trees can be found in Borgarnes. Anyone familiar with Iceland, will probably know that it is quite a treeless landscape largely a result of deforestation during Viking settlement, sheep contributing to soil erosion which couldn't support trees and lastly volcanic eruptions covering areas that previously were fertile areas. Fortunately reforestation projects have been underway for the better part of the century including incentives offered to farmers who can obtain a grant if they create a section of woodland on their land.

Bye for now,

 

Richard

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Trek to Petra - Feynan Ecolodge

Trekking on the exposed trail, I felt the brunt of the sun as it radiated in its full glory. With little shade on offer I welcomed reaching the end of Wadi Dana and squirreling myself away in Feynan Ecolodge. The elevation has dropped from 4100ft (1250m) at the top, above the valley floor, to 800ft (240m).

Built in 2005 and first of its kind in Jordan, the lodge was inspired by the historical roadside inns found along the Silk Road known as caravanserai. These ancient inns were resting stops for caravans travelling on long journeys across Central Asia, China and Europe and a place for travellers to share stories, trade ideas and gain knowledge.

The lodge is located at the confluence of Wadi Dana and Wadi Feynan. The area is historically known for its copper deposits and its intense extraction between 4500 BC to 1516 AD. In the past 30 years the area has been continuously explored and studied hoping that more copper could be found to provide Jordan with much needed natural resources. The results to date have been meagre and economically not viable. Of greater concern to various groups is the environmental impact should any digging and extraction occur. 

By building the lodge the local Bedouin community were provided with a source of employment. There are four main tribes that live around the Feynan area who continue to live in their traditional tents known as beit al-sha’ar, translated as ‘house of hair’ because the tents are made of goat-hair. As they continue with their traditional life of herding goats, sheep or camel and moving camp from valley to plateau depending on the season, the local Bedouin are also slowly adapting to the modern world by acquiring phones, pick-up trucks, plastic water containers and kerosene stoves. Access to water, electricity, doctors and schools has driven many Bedouin to give up their traditional way of living and move into villages but those that remain, with the exception of finding a good spot for mobile reception, continue to hold onto their simple way of life and connection with nature.

Dinner at the lodge was a vegetarian adaptation of Arabic cuisine. I enjoyed the simple yet tasty serve of Mujadara, a combination of rice and lentils topped with caramelised onions served with a side of Baba ganoush, chopped roasted eggplant tossed with tomatoes and onions.



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Mt. Everest - Namche Bazaar

Leaving Hillary Bridge behind at 9,514ft (2,900m) it was time for the next gripping ascent. Travelling uphill on single-lane switchbacks demanded patience, slowly shuffling along putting one step in front of the other, often needing to pull aside to let the steady stream of traffic pass me by. Mules, trekkers, porters and yaks were a common sight, breaking my already slow momentum. As I was gaining elevation, I could feel the change in the air, a shortness of breath, clearly indicating the change in altitude. I'd say more garlic soup was on the horizon.

Two hours later I arrived in Namche Bazaar, the largest village in the region. Namche was located on a plateau, rising up the hillside at 11,285ft (3,440m). On either side of the village were the 19,800ft+ (6,000m+) peaks of Kongde Ri to the west and Thamserku to the east.

From single-storey to triple-storey buildings, a plethora of teahouses and lodges are readily available to service visitors and trekkers. Anyone who was up for a pint of Guinness or a shot of Jameson or Teeling Irish whiskey would find it in the centre of town at the remotest Irish Pub in the world.

Namche is a trading centre, altitude acclimatization stop, gateway to the upper Himalayan region and the final stop to purchase any gear needed for the upcoming trek to Everest.

Resting here overnight and taking the time to acclimatize, I stopped at a teahouse to enjoy the national dish of Dal Bhat Tarkari, a lentil soup with steamed rice, accompanied by seasonal vegetables and curried meat. It is a staple meal of the Sherpa people eaten once or twice a day as a perfect combination of protein and carbs for their physical workouts at high altitude.

Just slightly out of town up a hill is the Sagarmatha National Park Museum with a statue of Tenzing Norgay on the grounds. A worthy visit not just for the museum but also the amazing views of the surrounding peaks.

I spent a full day acclimatising with a nearby hike to Khumjung at an ascent of about 2,000ft (600m). Khumjung is a village known for the Edmund Hillary School which when built in 1961 only had one classroom but today teaches children up to grade 10. Then onto Khumjung Monastery to check-out the mysterious yeti scalp. The yeti is steeped in Himalayan folklore as a large monster which in western culture is known as the Abominable Snowman.

Before descending back to Namche, I grabbed a pastry and hot drink from the closest bakery and whilst standing outside absorbing the mountainous vista I watched the Sherpa women harvest the potato fields, a staple crop and one of the few that can be grown at such high altitude.

One more night of rest in Namche. The long, slow, steady climb awaits.

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