Before 2004, people needed to hike over a mountain shoulder to get there — but after the Gásadalstunnilin tunnel (1.4 km) was blasted — it’s became possible to drive, cycle, or arrive by public bus.
I cycled. And it was a bit scary in that long tunnel.
This was amongst the prettiest houses I saw on the islands.
I’d heard about a popular route for locals, crossing a mountain pass and finishing in Leynar. It’s not on any tourist guidebook I’ve seen, including AllTrails.
It’s not signed. Finding the trailhead on highway 50 was tricky. Look for a large stone cairn. It is somewhat marked on the Maps.me app.
I left my bike in a depression and followed the cairns.
I had great weather and totally enjoyed a few hours on this wet trail.
I saw only 3 other hikes on a beautiful day, all Faroese. They’d come to see the basalt columns.
It’s marshy. Waterproof socks recommended.
You know you are close when you see this light station.
Leynar has a large black beach.
Here’s the view of the town you see from the highway.
Our favourite hike in the high Andes. Doing it independently only recommended for confident, self-sufficient hikers experienced at high altitude. It’s remote.
AT A GLANCE
Peru
circle sacred Ausangate massif(6372m, 20,905ft), the highest peak in southern Peru
4 high passes between 4757m – 5165m
70km (43.5mi) plus sidetrips
almost everyone does Ausangate with a guide, but it’s quite doable independently if you are acclimated
many options to extend this trek
best months are the May-September dry season
Tinqui is 5-8 hours now only about 3.5hrs by bus on a new road, about 100km S.E. of Cusco
A UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the great tourist destinations of the world, most everyone likes the quaint mountain town, Banff, in the Canadian Rockies. Growth is strictly limited by National Park regulations.
… at 1,463 m (4,800 ft), it is the town with the second highest elevation in Canada, the highest being Lake Louise.
It is surrounded by mountains, notably Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay, and Cascade Mountain; and situated above Bow Falls near the junction of the Bow and Spray Rivers. Banff is located 126 km (78 mi) west of Calgary and 58 km (36 mi) east of Lake Louise …
…. It is a major destination for outdoor sports and features extensive hiking, biking, scrambling and skiing areas within the region. …
Canmore is a smaller town (pop. 12,000) just outside the park, a great alternative to touristy Banff. Alpine Club of Canada headquarters are located in Canmore. Many experienced hikers prefer it as a home base.
Two of our top 10 hikes in the world can be reached from here:
Lake O’Hara, for example, is the prettiest mountain hiking in the Rockies.
Plan for July to mid-September in the northern Rockies. Banff is a great town, but the hiking season is short. Blizzards are not uncommon in September. We often suggest Aug. 1st as a good start date for a walking holiday here. Disclosure: besthike is based out of Calgary. Banff is our backyard playground. You could certainly accuse us of bias.
