Words by

Owen Tyrie

Photo by

Art Bicnick

The rescue team Þorbjörn has completed a new hiking route to the eruption site at Geldingadalur, Vísir reports.

The trail starts at Suðurstrandarvegur and the rescue team state that well equipped hikers can make the trip in an hour and a half.

There has been a huge demand for a better path to the site as the route was very difficult and very much off the beaten track, with no route markings.

An accessible route for hikers

In a post on Facebook, the rescue team Þorbjörn state that the new route is about 7km back and forth.

The post states: “Now it is possible to walk a marked path from Suðurstrandavegur to the eruption stop in a very convenient way and it takes about an hour and a half for well-equipped people to walk that way, but it is about 3.5 km or 7 km back and forth.”

The route runs from Suðurstrandarvegur up to Nátthagakrika and the elevation gain is 300 meters, according to information from Landsbjörg earlier today.

Danger still exists

People have been asked to take care when visiting, as bad weather conditions can still make the route and area difficult to access.

The wind can then be expected to abate, but then the risk of gas pollution increases significantly.

“It is because the crater is in a great depression and when the wind does not blow the gas away, it goes down into the depression. Finally, we would like to ask people not to walk on top of the new lava, it is simply very dangerous!” says the post on Facebook.

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