My big dream has finally come true – I’ve been back at the volcano! 🌋

Several of you probably know that I was at the volcano’s first day, actually only a few hours after it erupted on July 10, 2023. Here we managed to get in before they closed the access to people. Unfortunately, the conditions were such that we were advised to go back. And it has annoyed me quite a bit since then and the dream of coming back was great, but I knew that the ‘new’ route I had to take would be more challenging than the trip I had been on. Here are just a few pictures from the first day with the drone.

I chose to go out there on day 18 – July 28, 2023.
The first and last 2 kilometres of the ride were undoubtedly the most challenging for me. Honestly, there was a time when I didn’t think I would ever make it to the volcano. So I pulled myself together and decided to make the two old craters that were on the road my intermediate goal. But when I finally got up there, I could feel that my body felt better, and it had probably warmed up a bit from the exertion. I had already decided that I would take a lot of breaks along the way and that there was no fixed time limit for when I had to be there. It took me three and a half hours to walk the 11 km.

A small unfortunate circumstance was that I had to park a little further away on P3 as P1 was fully occupied. So that meant that I just got an extra little kilometre on both the outbound and return journey 😅 And believe me, it hit hard when I passed P1 and dreamed of my car stopping there, but just had to go the last bit… haha.

Fortunately, it was incredibly easy to find my way out there, as there was a clear path that I could just follow. There was only one time when I had to choose whether to go right or left. Here I just followed all the other hikers and chose the left. The surface changed a lot whether it was good to walk on or challenging. In some places, it was quite uneven.

A few pictures from the trip out there

Before you set off on a trip like this, it’s important to follow
Safetravel_iceland på Instagram:

They provide updates on whether the area is open or closed, as well as whether there is anything special to be aware of out of the ordinary. Pt. are they open from the car park from 9.00 in the morning until 18.00 in the evening. So just remember to be out there before 18.00, then it is perfectly fine to stay there in the evening. But if you try to arrive at Eg. 19.00 or later, you will meet a police car blocking the entrance 🙂 But remember it is NOW, it may change, so check it out before you leave.

It took me three and a half hours to get there, with about ten breaks along the way. Unfortunately, I had drunk almost all my litres of water, so of course I was a little worried about the trip back. However, it must be said that it was a really hot day, the sun was shining, and that probably made me drink more fluids. I would have liked a bit more water, but luckily I drank less on the way home as it was colder. And remember darkness is coming, so bring a headlamp.

It was very smoky when I arrived (the bog burning)

Once I reached the volcano, I sat down at the base of the mountain and enjoyed the moment while eating a protein bar. I was a bit tired of this smoke and feared all my pictures would be like this some hazy some. But luckily it got better and much fatter!

Then I headed up the Litli-Hrútur mountain, which was a bit challenging due to loose rock and the steep climb. I was grateful for my walking poles, which gave me extra support. I chose to sit a little from the top because of the strong wind and the view was absolutely fantastic. I could see down into the crater where it was boiling like water in a pot. It was a surreal experience to feel the joy of having arrived safely and at the same time enjoying the peace. What a force behind it. There wasn’t that much lava flowing over the crater, but it shot up violently in between. The lava was flowing under the lava and in some places, I could see it with the drone.

I got the drone up quite a bit. And I enjoy my DJI Mavic 3 can fly for longer than the old one I had. And then I also had my Canon R5 + 100-500 mm out there. I hadn’t packed much gear as I had too many kg on my back last time. This was absolutely perfect.

Handheld images taken with Canon R5 + 100-500mm

Pictures with my DJI Mavic 3 drone. Some of the pictures are with x7 zoom.

I stayed up there for several hours, droned the entire landscape with my three batteries, and then stopped, it was beautiful. Time flew by and before I knew it the sun started to set and it suddenly got really cold. So I decided to begin the quiet walk back towards the car park, which thankfully only took 2 hours and 50 minutes.

Both on the way there and on the way back I listened to music that I love and it gave me a good rhythm to follow. I sang and enjoyed the beautiful scenery, all the while keeping my mind in a positive mood. But I have to admit that the last few kilometres were a bit challenging.

Music I listened to on Spotify

(Remember to download it beforehand, as there are times you don’t have coverage)
Dead finger death punch
Dizzy Mizz Lizzy
Rage against the machine
Ida Corr
Vol beat
And a mixed list that I myself have mixed with everything from pop to rock.

When I finally got back to the Walther (the motorhome) I was completely exhausted and immediately drank two cokes in a row. But I actually went to bed with a smile on my face, even though my feet were sore. I was happy and proud to have completed my little mission. Despite my two ankles and a mischievous meniscus, I managed to have this incredible experience. I don’t think I’ll be getting back out there this time, although I’ve heard some say the volcano continues to be active. Of course, there are no guarantees, but according to the wise, it has good activity 😃

It was an unforgettable adventure and I would recommend anyone who has the opportunity to visit the volcano. The conditions are perfect for getting close to an erupting volcano.

I met a lot of people on my way home when I was on my way out there and some of them seemed really stressed. So remember to bring liquids and some food. My entire trip ended up taking just over 10 hours. Most people make the trip in 3 hours each way.

But no matter what, I’m happy and proud that I got such a good ride out of it despite the ankles and meniscus. I still smile at the thought of sitting on that mountain and watching lava boil right in front of me 🙂

Icelandic rolling greetings
Anja