Thorsmork

Thorsmork is a valley enclosed by the Eyjafjallajokull, Myrdalsjokull and Tindfjallajokull ice caps, sheltered enough that dwarf birch and willow grow thickly on slopes that are bare everywhere else in the region. Braided glacial rivers run across the floor, and the access track crosses several of them without bridges, including the Krossa, which is why ordinary rental cars are not permitted and the highland buses sit high on their axles. Once inside there are huts and campsites at Langidalur, Husadalur and Basar, and a network of day walks up ridges such as Valahnukur. The Laugavegur trek from Landmannalaugar ends here, and the Fimmvorduhals route continues over the pass to Skogar.

What you actually see

• The birch woods - dense dwarf birch and willow, unusual for the Icelandic interior.
• Valahnukur - a short steep climb to a ridge above the huts overlooking the braided rivers.
• The river crossings - unbridged glacial fords on the approach, taken slowly by the buses.
• Trail junctions - the end of the Laugavegur trek and the start of the Fimmvorduhals crossing to Skogar.

When to go

The valley is served from late June to early September, when the highland buses run and the huts are staffed. Outside that the road is unmaintained and the rivers are unpredictable. Book hut beds well ahead in July and August, when Laugavegur trekkers fill them. Weather changes quickly even at the height of summer.

Honest expectations

You cannot drive here in a normal car, and rental agreements void insurance for water damage at the fords; vehicles are pulled out of the Krossa every summer. The bus takes a few hours each way. Facilities are basic, huts get crowded, and rain can settle in for days. Fimmvorduhals is a long, exposed full-day walk.

Nearby

Seljalandsfoss and the ring road are on the drive in, and the Laugavegur trail leads north to Landmannalaugar.