Travelogue: 點止冰冰島@ Askja (28/7/2015)

2015年7月28日星期二

點止冰冰島@ Askja (28/7/2015)

Tour from Akureyri

IceAk S13 – THE LUNAR LIKE ASKJA (40000isk=2347)

http://www.iceak.is/#!iceak-s13---the-askja-caldera/c120p

Highlights: Lunar-like landscape, volcanos, lavas, desert, oasis, mountains, lakes and canyons

Join us on an “ones in a life time” adventure into the incredible wastelands of the Icelandic highlands. On this tour we take you far into the center of Iceland, to enormous Askjacaldera and its lunar-like landscape. We will take you to scenes where NASA trained their astronauts for the Apollo program, where Icelandic outlaws hid and lived during the middle ages including the most famous one Fjalla-Eyvindur, all taking part in Iceland’s largest lava field Ódáðahraun.

We will follow the main road from Akureyri trough Mývatn (pick up possible on the way) and a little further until we reach the Old Crater Hrossaborgir, here we will turn into the highlands and follow a rough Off-Road trail which leads us through a series of sceneries including rough lava fields, soft sand dunes, wild and calm rivers, blooming highland oasis’s, great canyons, majestic mountains, volcanic craters and hot & cold lakes.

We will stop for a walk at the oasis Herðubreiðalindir, the gorge Drekagil and the Askja caldera & Víti. And then a multiple shorter photo stops along the way. On the way home we will partly take a different trail which takes us to the most remote settlement in Iceland Möðrudalur where we can stop for a nice hot coffee or other refreshment after the long day in a charming turf house café before heading back to Akureyri. An unearthly tour full of spectacular views and scenarios.

What to bring:

Good walking shoes

Warm and preferable waterproof clothes

Water bottle or some other drink

Lunch pack

Possible bathing suit and a towel

Sunglasses

Camera

And of course good humor.

Duration: 13-14 hours

Departure: 7:00am from Akureyri
Longest hike: 2x2.4 km (1.5miles)

Includes: Transport, and an English speaking driver.
Price per person:

6 seat Super Jeep: 40.000- ISK / 270- EUR / 300- USD (minimum 2 persons)
50% discount for children 6-12 years when minimum has been reached.

Private tour possible, contact us for price

Available: Daily from 15th of June* - 30st September (if roads are open, contact us for other dates)

xxxxxxxxxxx

今早七時正參加 IceAk 的Askja 六人四駒車火山團，早上天氣陰陰沉沉。我們上了他們的四驅車，原來全團得兩人，變了二人包團。雖然要二千幾港幣一人，但我相信這個地方很特別。我們先去到米湖，再入去Askja區域，這裡四野無人，我們帶著期待的心情去四圍逛逛，天氣比正常冷，四圍也有冷風。我們看到很多平頂火山，被雪覆蓋著，因為是緩慢流動的熔岩而形成的，所以甚少尖頂山。這裡四圍也有火山熔岩，感覺很荒涼。

TOM CRUISE 有一套片是用這裡的其中一個死火山口the Old Crater Hrossaborgir做BACKDROP的，套戲叫做OBLIVION (攻元2077).

有一個中世紀冰島古人在此荒山野嶺居住，住在石砌的洞中，靠河水過活，靠食用Angelica這植物的根來過冬天，很勇敢。

另外，我們也看了一個美麗的小型峽谷，流水淙淙，水量充足。在陽光下更是金金發光。

之後，我們行山去行一條仍有雪的河谷 Drekagil canyon，這個山谷很斜，又要間水，很好玩。

中午後，我們上去Askja，在冰島語就是CALDERA 破火山口的意思，這座山不高，九百多米，但有很多雪，聽說今年夏天比往年低溫，高山仍有雪，不尋常。我們一直向前行，途步過2.6k雪地，才到火山口湖，這裡的雪很深，舉步維艱，行到索哂氣都係行了1/3，因為雪很鬆化，很難踩實，花了很大氣力。這雪地其實已是ASKJA的火山口，這個火山很大很壯闊。

終於走到盡頭，真的很正，有雪山也有viti火山口湖，翡翠的湖水很美麗。我們不斷拍照，但這個環境這種清朗天氣，又怎能拍得圓滿呢！零污染的火山口湖水映照著白雪嵦嵦的火山。白色的雪下，有紅黑色的火山岩。天堂一樣的景像，我人生應該是第一次見到。

這裡風光明媚，我認為是天氣很好加上空氣清新零空氣污染物的緣故，難能可貴的美境只有在深山才能找得到，這就是工業革命的代價吧！有得必有失，我們要接受現實。

我在湖邊捨到黑色的浮石，閃令令的樣子，有很多玻璃質，非常可愛。導遊說，這裡曾有山體滑坡，所以沙石滾下山，濺起巨浪，同時也把水翻到附近的火山口湖，湖邊有已磨滑的pumice。這就是證據，幸好發生的時間在深夜，否則應有傷亡。回程時見到兩隻bb Arctic fox 在打架，很得意。

Geology of Askja:

www.vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is/english/education/askja/

到了晚上九時才到Akureyri 14小時，不簡單。