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Posts tagged ‘Thórsmörk Trail Volunteers’

Back to basics in 2024

Our first week of applications for the 2024 Trailteams has been busy and we are delighted with the response to our call for volunteers. We are very happy to welcome back so many old friends along with all the new applicants. We look forward to working together and the exciting season ahead.

Next summer our teams will return to several of our favourite work sites to continue trail improvements but our focus in 2024 will be several new projects on the remote sections of the trail network that have so far received little attention. These sites are quite far from our camps so our teams can expect a lot of hiking next season.

The proposed projects include new work sites close to Morinsheiði and additional sections of the trails on Útigönguhöfði where good progress has been made in the last two seasons. As the number of hikers increases, the main aim of this work is to improve drainage and reduce erosion on these remote and fragile trails.

Although we generally use stonework on the high trails, we will continue to build with timber on the lower sections and within the forest. Several new techniques have been developed in Thórsmörk in recent years and this work will continue on Valahnúkur and the Laugavegur Trail (south of Þröngá).

Examples of our techniques and work tasks planned for 2024…

Our teams fill up quite quickly, so if you would like to join us on the trails in Thórsmörk and Goðaland next summer, don’t delay sending in your application. As always, placement allocations begin in the New Year.

Full details including dates and application forms can be found here…

Volunteer opportunities

Volunteers wanted! Applications for 2024 are now open

Today we begin our search for volunteers for 2024.

The new programme includes both three and six-week volunteer placements as well as longer placements for team leaders. Places are limited and allocations begin in the New Year, so if you would like to join us next summer, don’t delay!

Full details including placement descriptions, dates and application forms are now available here…

Volunteer opportunities

Last season at our Langidalur camp

Our Langidalur base camp has been at the heart of the volunteer programme since it was established in 2013. Facilities for the teams are very basic but have developed over the years and now include a kitchen area, food store, drying hut and shower.

The trail work projects take place from April to October and it is exciting to experience Thórsmörk’s changing weather and conditions during this time. These pictures of the Langidalur camp were taken over 7 months last season.

Preparations for next season begin soon. Dates, details and application forms for our 2024 projects will be available here on December 15th.

Getting ready for summer

This week we have escaped the office and returned to our practical work, getting ready for our Trailteam summer in Thórsmörk and Goðaland.

Following a busy winter of preparations, our teams are now ready and we are looking forward to getting back to work on the trails next month.

As usual, the season has begun at our workshop at the Thjórsárdalur Forestry Station (pictured) where we are preparing equipment and materials for our summer volunteer teams.

That day last summer…

Pictures from our visit to the volcanic eruption in Reykjanes.

Last August, we took a short break from the trail work so that we could go and see the ongoing volcanic eruption. The day trip for our team of 18 volunteers was made possible by our friends at This is Iceland, who have supported our work in Thórsmörk since we began more than ten years ago.

It was great to share the experience with our team and it was a truly memorable day for us all.