Page 13 - AMA Winter 2023/24

As someone who has always loved the outdoors from an early age, both as an unprivileged youngster with the Rotary Club or with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (most often in the Peak District), I seized the opportunity to travel to Iceland to improve upon, and learn, new mountaineering skills.
Summer in Iceland is the perfect time for hiking with contrasting geography such as its rugged terrain, lush green valleys, and stunning waterfalls. In fact, it is not so different from hiking in certain parts of the UK, especially given the temperate climate.
In this article, I’ll ‘walk’ you through (pardon the pun) some of what I learned about mountaineering in Iceland, from an Officer Cadet’s perspective, including the trails I walked and understanding the unique challenges and rewards of exploring this captivating land during the warmer months, with a group of (mostly) novice mountaineers.
Prior to the trip, we all took part in a Quality Mountain Day (QMD) in the Eryri National Park, North Wales, to practise a river crossing and simulate weight carriage, distance, terrain, and timings of a typical trek. This was an ideal opportunity for team bonding, pre-expedition classroom training around foot health and delivery of the plan for the main expedition, whilst checking the necessary kit and rations were allocated.
As with all Summer Mountaineering Foundation (SMF) courses, the aim is to train novice mountaineers to gain basic but essential mountaineering skills. Undoubtedly, travelling overseas has extra appeal for any novice, mainly because of the unfamiliar terrain, culture, food,
and quite often the environment. I was therefore extremely grateful to be selected for the course and for the funding that paid for the trip.
The expedition was expertly led and organised by experienced mountain leader Major Jordan Dickinson, and Corporal Anna Burgoyne. As for the rest of us, we were not the ‘White Walkers’ from North of the Wall or the ‘Night’s Watch.’ I would describe our cohort as an intrepid team of Reservists and Regulars from 156 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps!
On the 7th of August we all set off from Haldane Barracks, Manchester for our flight from Manchester Airport. Fortunately, there were no dramas, just lots of excitement about the journey. Surprisingly, the flight to Iceland was short, approximately 2.5 hours, flying directly Northwest up the coast of the UK and across the Atlantic to Keflavik Airport.
One of many successful summits
Ahead of us lay a trek of just under 100km along the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls Trails from Landmannalaugar to Skogar. Iceland’s summer season typically runs from late June to early September. During this time, the weather is mild and the days are long, with almost 24 hours of daylight in certain parts of the country. This extended daylight offers hikers more time to explore the stunning landscapes and allowed us to make the most of our adventure.
Upon arrival at our first campsite, which was very central to Reykjavik, we took an evening to relax, acclimatise and explore the city through eating and socialising. The people we encountered in Iceland have a very dry sense of humour, especially when talking about the weather or alcohol. They enjoy meeting new people, sharing experiences and funny stories, whether it is a bus driver, taxi driver or an Icelander you meet in the spa or sauna. An interesting fact is that a quarter of the population of the island claims to believe in elves or other mythical creatures!
The following day we travelled to Land- mannalaugar, which is the gateway to the Highlands for hikers. One of the highlights of Landmannalaugar is its natural hot springs. The campsite was located near the popular bathing area, where you can soak in the soothing, warm waters while surrounded by stunning scenery. It is a perfect way to relax after a day of hiking and we enjoyed several hours there. So, always make sure to pack a swimsuit! One of the most surreal parts at the site was witnessing approximately two hundred
River crossing
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 13