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Posts tagged ‘Thórsmörk Trail Volunteers’

Our summer adventures in Thórsmörk and Goðaland

As soon as the snow cleared in April, we returned to the Langidalur camp to begin our fifteenth season on the trails. This summer we were joined by 42 international volunteers from 14 countries, and together we completed more than 160 weeks of trail maintenance and practical nature conservation tasks throughout Thórsmörk and Goðaland.

Each season, in addition to ongoing maintenance tasks throughout the trail network, we focus on a series of larger projects. One of our main tasks was at Stöng, where we moved the badly eroded trail to a more sustainable line and restored the damaged area with transplanted moss and turf. One of our most remote worksites was in Goðaland, on the west side of Útigönguhöfði, where we improved the trail line and added additional drainage. Each summer, the trail work takes us a little closer to the top of the mountain.

Several trails were added to the network in 2026. At Hamraskógur, a new 1.8km hiking trail was created to improve safety by providing separate routes for hikers and bikers. In Goðaland, a new trail was created to link Básar with the Krossá hiking bridge. This new 1.4km trail is an important addition as it connects the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails, and increasing numbers of visitors are now hiking the entire route.

We thank everyone who joined us on the trails this year and made 2026 a really great season. A huge amount was achieved and the results speak for themselves. Thank you all for your hard work and enthusiasm throughout those long days on the trails.

Our search for volunteers will begin again on December 15th with the launch of 2027 programme. Full details, including placement dates and application forms, will be available here.

Back on the trails… almost

This week, we made the season’s first trip to Thórsmörk.

Weather conditions were good, but the trails are still covered in deep snow, and it will be some time before our survey tasks and maintenance work can begin. It was very nice to return to the area and have an opportunity to explore the trails in these conditions. Even the trail markers are almost covered by the snow.

Preparations for the season are going well, and we look forward to returning to our Langidalur camp as soon as the snow clears. We will be joined by our first Trailteam volunteers in May.

Final call for volunteers for our 2026 Trailteams!

Applications for our Thórsmörk Trail Teams will close next week, as we near the end of our search for international volunteers to join us this summer. If you would like to apply, please contact us by February 15th.

We are looking for participants who have some experience of camping and hill walking, enjoy wilderness landscapes and are ready for a challenge. Iceland’s notoriously changeable weather means that our teams have to be well prepared with warm clothing, good waterproofs and sturdy tents. Due to the strenuous nature of our work, participants must be physically fit and as many of our work sites are in remote locations, we do a lot of hiking to get to them!
Our team is chosen from applicants and there is no participation fee.

Full details about the placements including dates and application forms can be found on our website…
https://trailteam.is/opportunities/

Applications for 2026 will close at the end of Sunday, February 15th and the remaining placements will be confirmed by the end of the month.