Category: video

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BestHike – Skógafoss Waterfall Way, Iceland

One of our BEST VIDEOS.

Perhaps 25 waterfalls and spectacular canyons in series.

I can’t recall better anywhere else in the world.

Trail starts at massive Skógafoss and continues 8km (5 miles). The views just as good on the way back.

I waited about 5 days for a good weather window. Hiked the Waterfall Way twice, up-and-down, over 3 days.

I wanted the trail as empty of people as possible. And to catch the sun low in the sky.

Trip Report

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Autumn Hiking, Vancouver Island

My favourite season for hiking is autumn.

The colours, for sure.

Sunlight low in the sky.

But even more is the melancholy of days getting shorter. The year coming to an end.

Most of the trees in the Vancouver Island rain forest are evergreen. But there are enough deciduous to make for wonderful scenes.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Faroe Islands in 90 Seconds

The Faroe Islands are one of the most scenic places I’ve ever hiked. No place is more than 5km from the sea. 

I was there for 12 days summer 2024, arriving by ferry from Denmark en route to Iceland.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Here’s my advice for Cycling / Hiking the Faroe Islands.

This edit was Inspired by Experience the John Muir Trail in Just 2 Minutes.

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Amazing Stuðlagil Canyon, Iceland

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

When the construction of Kárahnjúkar Hydro Dam was finished 2009, Stuðlagil (Studlagil) Canyon became fully visible.

The water level in the river Jökla, that runs through the canyon, dropped and amazing basalt columns have since become one of the most popular tourist attractions in eastern Iceland.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

The landowners were still building tourist infrastructure in 2024.

I stayed at the simple campground on the northern side of the river.

A German couple — world travellers — in a camper van, offered me lamb dinner with locally picked mushrooms. And wine! It was my best meal in Iceland. 😀

Once the tourists were gone in the evening, I climbed down a long set of stairs to have the northern viewing platform all to myself.

Next morning, I cycled over to the southern side of the river. It’s the better experience. Go to both sides, if you can.

Stuðlagil (Studlagil) is a canyon in the Eastern Region of Iceland.

It is known for its unusual amount of large columnar basalt rock formations and the turquoise coloured river that runs through it.

The canyon also has an interesting story as it became an unexpected tourist sensation in 2016 after Einar Páll Svavarsson published an article in August of that year on hiticeland.com with spectacular photos.

A year later Einar also wrote an article about Stuðlagil in WOW air magazine in June 2017 and after that the canyon became a popular tourist destination.

It’s an easy detour off the Highway 1 Ring Road. About a 19km/11.8mi sidetrip along road 923. Mostly paved in 2024.

related – All you need to know before visiting Stuðlagil Canyon

official website – studlagil.is

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Outdoor Videographer Kyle Kotajarvi

If you post online photos and videos of your hikes, you’ll related to this video.

Frustration.

Kyle is terrific. But — like all of us — things go wrong. Video projects stall.

Life goes on.

Kyle points out that the unused footage in his hard drives is still valuable. We should enjoy the process, not the resulting footage.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Like and subscribe.

Van Neistad (and his brother Casey) both believe perfectionism is BAD for most of us on YouTube.

Create. Post online, good or bad. And LEARN from the experience.

Over time your content should 😀 … improve.

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Skógafoss Waterfall Way, Iceland

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I’ve seen most of the famous waterfalls of the world — and cannot recall a better series of falls anywhere.

Skógafoss is massive. Powerful.

width 25 metres (82 feet) and drop of 60 m (200 ft).

The Skógafoss Waterfall hike (also called the Skógá Trail or Waterfall Way) is one of Iceland’s most spectacular easy walks. Perhaps 25 waterfalls and spectacular canyons.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

This trail starts at massive Skógafoss and follows the Skógá River upstream for 8 km (5 miles). If you reach the bridge, I’d say you’ve gone too far. 😀

In fact, hike as far as you want. Turn back when you like.

Elevation Gain: 500 meters

I waited about 5 days for a good weather window — and it was worth it. I even had some sunshine.

I hiked the waterfalls up and down twice over 3 days. Going early morning and late evening to minimize the number of other hikers on the trail.

The trailhead is at Skógar on the Ring Road (highway 1). There is a campground and hotels. Book well in advance.

Earth Trekkers posted an excellent trip report.

Skógafoss is also the start / finish of the challenging Fimmvörðuháls trail which ends at Thórsmörk. In good weather you can do the entire 22 kilometres (14 mi), 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) of climbing in a long day. It crosses a glacier between two recently active volcanoes — which you can also climb.

Of course Thórsmörk is the start / finish of the most famous hike in Iceland, the Laugavegur. If you have 4-6 days, the BEST hike is Landmannalaugar to Skógar. It includes the The Skógafoss Waterfall Way, connecting Fimmvörðuháls and Laugavegur.

I did the Laugevagur Trail as a YOYO in 2023.

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