Icelandic native and adventurer Holmar Jones combines his day-job as a music teacher with all season trekking in the shifting landscape around his home town of Hvammstangi on the northern coast. 

“Being on a rock in the middle of the ocean makes the weather a bit of a hassle if you are not used to it. More than once we’ve heard about experienced adventurers that had to be rescued after getting stuck in wet and icy snow storms, so you really have to be careful and prepare for the worst.” 

Experienced adventurers face as many surprises as anyone else. But they have learned how to prepare for sudden change. 

Blizzards taking out the electricity are not uncommon on Iceland, and sometimes people have to dig themselves out of their homes after a night of heavy snow. 

“The climate on Iceland is wet and windy. Sometimes we have some rare hot summer days but most of the times the thermometer is parked around ten degrees C. It is what is.” The climate here is wet and windy. So naturally we need apparel that is durably water- and windproof. 

The whole of Iceland is volcanic, but as the North West is the oldest part of Iceland, there are no active volcanoes in the vicinity. 

“The þrælsfell mountain is practically in our backyard, with an elevation of 900 meters the view from up there is always spectacular. My girlfriend and I often go ski touring at wintertime, and mountaineering in the summer.” 

I go trekking in summer and skiing in winter. But most of the year is in-between. That kind of weather calls for versatility, clothes that are breathable and lightweight but still keep you warm. 

If Holmar was to recommend a trek on Iceland, his favorite is the Fimmvörðuháls trail on the Southern coast. It’s a long and exhausting one-day hike, but it offers spectacular scenery along the way.