Lambs in Laugavegur
Rowan Knight ‘22
The Laugavegur Trek is a 34-mile thru-hike in the Iceland highlands. Its diverse landscapes and challenging conditions make it one of the premiere backpacking trails in all of Europe. I completed the Laugavegur Trek in four days over September 2023 as my first European and solo backpacking trip, with my Canon AE1 as my trusty companion. As I trekked, I documented the stunning landscapes that reflect the history of Iceland.
The trail begins in Iceland’s geothermal country where I trekked through rhyolite mountains, black obsidian fields, and geothermal pools. As I traveled south, the landscape shifted to lush green valleys covered entirely with moss. Due to deforestation from shipbuilding in the Viking era, Iceland has few trees. Animal agriculture, primarily introduced in the form of sheep, caused Iceland's native saplings to be unable to regrow, a leading cause of the rocky landscape and fluorescent green moss characteristic of the island today.
For much of its history, Iceland has been isolated from the rest of the world. As a result, there are almost no predators on the island. The most ferocious creature I encountered was a sheep. Because of this, Icelandic sheep farmers are able to let their sheep roam free for the entire summer season. In early September, all of the sheep are rounded up and sorted in what is called the Réttir, a sheep collection followed by a festival. Towards the end of my journey, I passed Icelandic farmers on horseback collecting their sheep.
The most dangerous challenge I faced was the weather. The warm Gulf Stream wind from the south mixes with the chilly Arctic air over Iceland creating unpredictable weather. Rain can fall at any moment. Wind gusts in Iceland can get up to 70 mph. In fact, there are special tents, vango hiking tents, whose rounded shapes are specifically designed for harsh Icelandic weather. While at times unpleasant, this finicky weather produced spectacular fog that populated many of my photographs. Luckily, I was able to warm up each night in the shared cooking hut at my campsite. I communed over a warm cup of tea with European friends I met along the way, as I suspect travelers have been doing for decades.
Shot on Canon AE1 with Portra 400.
You can find more of Rowan’s work at http://www.adventurestills.com/
