Places for active stuff in Europe
When you travel to Iceland, you should definitely also take advantage of walking on one of the many glaciers that you see when you drive around the varied landscape. It may be risky to walk on them alone, so it is recommended to take a glacier guide who can steer clear of known glacier cracks and the like. It is also a good idea to take the right equipment - i.e. crampons and ice ax. But it is an exciting and different feeling to walk on pure ice and see the black lava ash that has coloured the huge ice formations several hundred years ago - and "blue ice" in between the cracks, where the ice melts.
The Eastfjords boast a huge array of hikes, from short hill-climbs to multi-day expeditions. Many of these are straight-forward enough to do without a guide, although the ever-changing weather conditions in Iceland mean that it is necessary to be properly prepared if venturing out of sight of settlements or major roads: compass, maps, clothing and food. One of the most popular summer hikes in the region is the four-day Borgarfjörður to Seyðisfjörður hike, which takes in some of the best views in the Eastfjords without forcing you to carry a tent – there are huts and farm stays along the way. You won’t find the kind of extreme isolation and solitude that the Westfjords’ Hornstrandir can offer here, nor the other-worldly landscapes of Laugavegurinn, but it is nonetheless beautiful hiking country, especially if the sun makes an appearance.
When driving around Iceland, you come across many horse stables / riding centers, where it is possible to rent horses for both day trips and multi day trips. Of course, you ride on Icelandic horses while in Iceland, and there are plenty of rides for both beginners and experts. There are many actual horse trails on Iceland, and horseback riding is also a nice alternative way to get around in the vast landscape and across the many rivers, which are difficult to cross on foot and in ordinary passenger cars.
If you are hiking a glacier and you want to challenge yourself, ice climbing is an excellent opportunity. As with glacier hiking, it is important that the equipment is in order, so it requires both a guide, crampons, ice axes, helmets, harnesses and ropes - and fear of heights is probably not the best thing to suffer from .... The guide typically finds a suitable vertical wall of ice, where he fastens the hook and rope on top. Then, you will be strapped to one end of the rope, and the guide keeps a hold of the other end, all while you climb up the wall by hammering 2 ice axes, and your crampons into the ice and rappel back down. It can easily be done, even if you have not tried it before, and it requires more technique than strength, but it is pretty crazy!
Hvítá River is located approximately an hour's drive from Reykjavík and, with its small waterfalls and wild streams, it is an ideal place to river raft. You can book a trip with various adventure agencies, which have all the equipment to be used - ie. boats, helmets, life jackets, and wetsuits. Although you go river rafting in summertime, the water in Iceland is still only around 2 degrees Celsius, so it is a good idea to wear woolen underwear underneath the wetsuit. During rafting on the river, you will also be able to jump into the water from 7-8 meters high cliffs, which can be quite challenging. Otherwise, the difficulty level of rafting on the Hvítá River is medium.
If hiking across the glaciers isn’t fast-pace enough, how about something with an engine? If you don’t fancy driving yourself, jump into a superjeep – 4WDs with balloon-like tyres able to traverse the glaciers at remarkably high speeds. But if you long to feel the wind in your hair – well, the few parts of your head that are not covered by helmet, balaclava and goggles at any rate – go for a snowmobile. These light machines make it possible to travel up and down the snow-covered masses at speeds that sometimes feel suicidal, and is a great way to get a feel for the scale of the glaciers. Snowmobile tours will normally include a break on the top of the glacier, accompanied by an explanation of nearby land features. Take care not to leave the tracks made by your guide – there is a reason for the helmets – and you will be in for a serious adrenaline thrill.
Iceland has 30 volcanoes, which are more or less active, and there are good opportunities to climb them. The volcano Hekla is active and erupts around every decade. There is about 1,490 meters to the summit and it takes about 2-3 hours each way. You trek on volcanic rock, snow, ice and very small lava gravel, which is challenging to walk on, so proper hiking boots, perhaps walking stick and warm clothing is essential. It is quite a surreal experience to sit in a volcanic crater and eat your packed lunch, and there is a fantastic view over other mountains and glaciers. The otherwise cold peak is also covered with hot steam, so if you sit down on the ground, you can warm up your bum...
During summer the main thing to do in Liechtenstein are bike cycling and hiking. There plenty of trails suitable for day trips, in addition with a few longer treks. You can even take the chairlift from Malbun up to the top of Mt. Sareiserjoch (2000 m) and start the hike from there. Even though the mountains are not better in Liechtenstein than neighbouring Switzerland and Austria (they are actually smaller in Liechtenstein), the scenery is as pretty with jagged peaks and green alp meadows, where bell ringing cows are grassing.
For the absolute best view of Haukland Beach hike up the mountain behind it. To get to the trail, cross the road and follow the sealed road away from the beach. After a couple of hundred meters a mud trail veers off up the mountain side. Just follow that until you reach the peak. It can both get muddy and rocky. Sections at the top can be particularly tricky with some scrambling needed. A return trip will take a couple of hours.
One of the most popular hikes in Norway is the relatively short, but strenuous, hike to the summit of Reinebringen Peak. The trail is steep and made up of giant granite steps laid by Nepali sherpas in 2019. There are 1566 steps (we didn't count) and then some scrambling for the last 150 meters before reaching the peak and the incredible rewarding views over Reine village and parts of Lofoten archipelago. Be careful at the summit, because the drop is deadly. Don't be fooled by the short distance (6 km return from the parking lot in Reine), the hike feels more like a 2 hours non-stop session on a stairmaster.