A Tough, Off‑Trail Day Hike to Tröllavatn (Tröllaskagi, near Akureyri)

I am the type of person that looks on a map, finds a lake somewhere, looks at the slopes and thinks that I can make it there. So I set out to explore Tröllaskagi, just outside Akureyri, aiming for Tröllavatn lake. It was tough, long, and not for everyone, but absolutely worth it if you’re up for the challenge. The terrain was wild and varied: a gravel road first, a bridge over the river Glerá, rocky ridges, scree slopes, a dead sheep, and finally that alpine lake. Highlights included steep scrambles up scree slopes, unexpected patches of snow, and finally reaching Tröllavatn. It’s nearly 27 km in a single day with around 1,000 m of elevation gain.

Tips: Bring food, extra layers, hiking boots, GPS / offline or actual map. Not to be underestimated.