The Best Hikes in the Nordics

Gorges in Iceland

The three Icelandic hikes follow rivers up into gorges. Múlagljúfur in South Iceland climbs steeply over gravel and rock to viewpoints above a moss-covered canyon, with waterfalls dropping into it and the Vatnajökull glacier visible beyond. Glymur in Hvalfjörður is a waterfall reached only on foot, by a loop that goes through a cave and up the side of a deep gorge. Fimmvörðuháls starts at Skógafoss and passes more than twenty waterfalls on the Skógá River; the full route is about 25 km and crosses a pass between two glaciers, and many walkers turn round at a bridge about 7 km in.

River crossings

Icelandic trails often cross water without a bridge. The Glymur loop crosses the Botnsá River twice, once on a log with a cable and once by wading above the falls. The log is in place only in summer, and outside that season both crossings are waded. Múlagljúfur has a stream crossing as well.

Cliff edges

Few of these routes have railings. The upper part of Múlagljúfur is narrow and steep with none, and the plateau at Preikestolen in Norway ends at an unfenced edge above the Lysefjord. Trælanípa on Vágar in the Faroe Islands is mostly flat along a lake shore for 45 to 60 minutes, then climbs steeply to exposed sea cliffs, where the lake appears to hang above the ocean.

Fees and parking

Most Nordic trails cost nothing to walk, and the charge comes at the car park. Múlagljúfur asks 1000 ISK with a four-hour limit, and the Norwegian trailheads at Kjeragbolten and Preikestolen charge for parking too. Trælanípa works differently, with a fee of 200 DKK paid at the entrance to the trail.