4x4 Sunday Test Drive Thorsmork (Þórsmörk)
As you can imagine - trying out the Sport Trac and taking it for a real test drive in the highlands has been high on my list of things to do.
Finally it is happening. I am taking my wife and daughter along for the ride and just spend a whole Sunday enjoying the truck and the nature it brings to us. We are going to go to Thorsmork - one of my most favorite places in Iceland.
Álfheiður's sister lives in a farm and her daughter is going to join us for the day.
Weather looks pretty promising, light wind and partly cloudy. Road stretches ahead through the plains in South Iceland. Gradually I learn to handle the brand new character of the truck - it still works well on the highway.
Where we get of the main road we pass by Seljalandsfoss - popular for the fact that you can walk around it between the rock wall and the waterfall getting a cool and fresh shower at the same time.
The Icelandic horse is well known for its small size and adaptability as well as five different types of walking or gaits.
Many creeks are on the road to Thorsmork, most of them small like this one but there are bigger ones further ahead.
Picking wild berries is in season now and on the agenda for the day. We stop at this beautiful spot and pick what is mostly crowberries but also a few bilberries.
Amazing rock formations and the effect of crystal clear water creeks and the delicate vegetation combine to make this a unique place to see.
Water is actually so clear and free from pollution that drinking it straight from the ground causes no problems and is just refreshing and tastes good.
The glacier Gigjokull falls down the mountain into this lake formed by earlier times when the glacier was much larger. In these later times this one has shrunken fast but is still a sight to see.
4x4 Off Roads!
Taking the short walk to get closer to the glacier is worth it. There is nobody around and the stillness and the beauty of this place makes the moment magical and mysterious.
Thorsmork is named after the Norse god Thor and it is not difficult to imagine ancient gods coming out of caves or rising above the cliffs.
Crossing the river Krossa over to the hut at Langidalur shows how innocent looking rivers turn out to be deep and with a strong current flowing. We prepare a barbecue lunch at the hut and the girls take a hike up a small mountain to get some grand view of the area.
Forces of nature are apparent. This is a tree torn out of its former rooted place by the ever-changing glacier river.
Stronger current and more water is best handled by carefully driving down stream.
The larger tires and the added lift allow most of the water to flow under the truck - that means less risk of the vehicle floating up and water catching hold of the truck while you loose all control.
An unmodified 4x4 would be getting water up to mid doors and would be at much bigger risk.
Nice view to the glacier.
Speeding through the lesser creeks on the way back is fun and it makes the girls laugh with joy.
Gljúfrabúi - can be translated as "Canyon dweller" - obviously a fitting name. It is not far from the first waterfall (Seljalandsfoss) and marks the end of our off road journey for the day.
Everybody has enjoyed the trip and the Sport Trac has really proven to be worthy of its future role as the flagship of the 4x4OffRoads.com web.
