Posts from the ‘Laugavegur Trail’ Category
Jan 1
Volunteers wanted! – The search for our 2015 team begins
We are delighted to announce the publication of our volunteer programme dates for summer 2015.
Our 6-week placements are once again a central part of our programme and following the success of last season, there will be a series of 2-week placements available as well and short-term placements will join the ongoing projects throughout the summer. This season Operations team places will be for 7 or 9 weeks to provide additional support early and late in the season. Once again, there is no participation fee for any of the placements.
Summer 2015 – Plans for next season…
As the end of the year approaches, it is time to announce our plans for next season…
We are delighted to confirm that the our volunteers will return to Thórsmörk in 2015 and we have been busy gathering the details for our summer programme. It is a very exciting time for us as we are able to build on the success of our last season, make a few key changes as well as introduce some new ideas.
Next year, placements will run from 2-9 weeks and once again there will be no participation fee. Full details and application forms will be published on our homepage on 19th December. There will be 2-week and 6-week placements as well as opportunities with our “Operations Team” (responsible for leading groups and supporting the projects). The allocation of placements will begin immediately with the first interviews planned for early January. Places are allocated as soon as suitable applicants are found and we expect this process to be completed by Easter.
Don’t miss your chance to join us!
Our friends at the Icelandic Mountain Guides
Last summer we teamed up with The Icelandic Mountain Guides (Íslenskir Fjallaleiðsögumenn) for a trail repair project on the Laugavegur. In the first partnership project of its kind, the company awarded us a grant to support the work of the volunteer teams and take on the challenge of repairing the Laugavegur between Thórsmörk and Emstrur. We were formally presented with the award at a celebration to mark the company’s 20th birthday in Reykjavik earlier this month.
During the project, we ventured 10km north from our home in Thórsmörk and establish new “long-range trail teams” at remote work sites along the trail. Work focused on restoration tasks in areas where the deep soil layers had been damaged and as well as re-profiling soil and stabilizing vegetation in these areas, improvements to drainage were made to prevent further damage. Five of our volunteer teams undertook the work in July and August, camping close to the work sites during the projects.
There is a great deal of work remaining along the Laugavegur, but this has been a successful start. The funding allowed us to develop out long-range teams and to complete a large amount of valuable trail repair work along the trail. We would sincerely like to thank The Icelandic Mountain Guides for their support and wish them a very happy 20th birthday!
Jul 6
Our Long-term volunteers and Laugavegurinn
Just five weeks ago our first long-term volunteer team of the season began their adventures with us in Thórsmörk. Since joining us, they have completed over 60 weeks of repair work on the trails and have definitely left their mark on the place.
In addition to all that work, the team “enjoyed” quite a challenging hike from Landmannalaugar due to the stormy weather. We would like to thank our colleagues and friends at the Ferðafélag Íslands huts along the trail, for looking after our volunteers so well during those stormy days… for the shelter and for their support. It was really good to meet everyone safely back at the Langidalur base camp.
Now we are looking forward to the return of the sunshine as in the group’s final week we are heading north to new project sites close to Emstrur.
Thórsmörk Trail Volunteers 