Iceland this September - variation on the Glacier 360

[RichinNW]

Hi all.
I'm planning a one week bikepacking trip in Iceland mid September loosely following the Glacier 360 route, riding from Reykjavik. Flying out from Manchester.

See
https://www.glacier360.is/

It's going to be an experience for a range of reasons - volcanic desert riding, weather and wind potentially worse than Wales, river crossings, thermal pools, glaciers and waterfalls. Oh and being 100% self supported for much of the ride.

If that sounds like fun to you get in contact !

Also if anyone has first hand experience of riding in Iceland I'd be very interested to hear from you.

[jam bo]

I went with tom a couple of years ago. He wrote some words...

http://icelandicfatfun.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

[RichinNW]

Great write up and V entertaining!
Would you go again ?!

[jam bo]

yep. just need to find some funds.

[JohnClimber]

Summittoppler and I are heading over there at the end of July and we can't wait.
We booked out flight at Christmas while they were cheap and we've hired an older 4x4 to get us around and carry all our gear up into the Highlands and around the hot spots without having to rely on buses.

Some vids here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-aIM3sIALk

https://vimeo.com/121547230

[jam bo]

i think both those videos are shot around the llanmanalaguar trail. that is nowhere near the glacier 360 route.

[fargogofar]

Don't waste your time or money going to the blue lagoon , its a rip off and full of tourists and its totally man made and all the so called mud is brought in from elsewhere .
Do get hold of a map path the tourist office or download "the water trail" a list of all the thermal pools you can bathe in but there are others .
Do go to Landmanalauger , but make sure you have some stakes that will go into very rocky ground as its like sleeping on a carpark , a footprint for your tent will come in handy .
Do take some wading shoes for river crossings , I used those water shoes you can buy at decathlon as they roll up to nothing .
Do buy Malt Whiskey at the airport and transfer it a sigg bottle - worth its weight in gold and you will make lots of friends .
Be prepared for very strong headwinds if you are unlucky with the weather .
If you get to Geysir , go to the hotel there for lunch , £15 all you can eat buffet amazing value !!
Don't think you have to do a circular route to get back to your start point , you can use the buses as they all take bikes , but even better the internal budget airline is very inexpensive compared to the buses , they don't charge for bikes and you just book the flight with the bike and then turn up , no disassembly required , they just put them on as is .I flew back from Isafyorddur to Reyjavik for £70 .
The bus fare was £75 !!
I have been twice and I cannot recommend it enough .
Have fun
Regards Ian

[fargogofar]

Oh and I forgot to mention , when its windy its less so at night and with it being 24 hour daylight you can cycle during the night when theres less wind , just turn the day upside down , although shops probably won't be open there are plenty of folks out and about as the locals don't sleep in summer .
Also river crossings are lower at night

[RichinNW]

Thanks chaps some great advice !

[ZeroDarkBivi]

That does sound interesting, in a masochistic type 2 fun way. Not sure I'd get the time off work, and the Mrs would be very grumpy at being left behind, having already mentioned going to Iceland, but she would never cope with a ride like this.

[JohnClimber]

Oh and I forgot to mention , when its windy its less so at night and with it being 24 hour daylight you can cycle during the night when theres less wind , just turn the day upside down , although shops probably won't be open there are plenty of folks out and about as the locals don't sleep in summer .
Also river crossings are lower at night

I understand that winds might drip at night but how do rivers drop at night?

[jam bo]

Snow/ice melt from the glaciers will have a diurnal cycle.

[Alpinum]

Mid September is a super time to travel in Iceland.
No snow melt, low glacier run off, wonderful autumn colours (Salix Polaris especially) and

the night goes dark which means you'll get to see the northern lights (with a bit of luck)






And once in town or at tourist places; less tourists and all the positive aspects that come with less tourists

One of the down sides is there's little traffic on some routes in the interior. If you mess up it can be more difficult to get help (not every one is happy to press SPOT button...)

i think both those videos are shot around the llanmanalaguar trail. that is nowhere near the glacier 360 route.

Roughly. Looks like Fjallabak and Thorsmörk region, but yes, nowhere near the 360 route

This is on the Kjalvegur hiking/horseriding trail which is most likely part of the 360 route:
Good thing is, this lovely track brings you to Hveravellir (pron. Kveravetlir).

The Kjalvegur used to go across the interior all the way to the sea. Forth following the old Kjalvegur track. It gets emptier. I didn't see anybody for 80 km. The fords you come across are okay at that time of year.


I went to Iceland 3 times, once in winter, twice in Aug/Sept, once for a traverse on foot (ca. 650 km) and once for a double traverse by bike (ca. 1100 km)
This is just outside the remote and lovely Laugarvellir hot spring (nothing to do with Landmannalaugar):


I spent two months total in Iceland, albeit not July, and never felt wind drop during the night. Why should it?