Þakgil

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Þakgil is an approximately 15 kilometer long road (No.214) near Vik that leads directly from the coastal ring road to the campsite of the same name.
It is considered one of the most beautiful and easiest roads to experience the Icelandic “highland feeling”.
The path is not paved, but can be driven on with a normal car. However, it should be noted that road conditions can change significantly in bad weather and, in case of doubt, the route should only be driven with an off-road vehicle.

Useful information

The gravel road is really nice right from the start. As soon as you leave the ring road and take road 214, a green valley awaits you, from which you then go straight up steeply and you have a great view of the valley in front of you. The journey to the campsite or to the starting point of the many hiking trails alone is worth the trip.
Road 214 can generally be driven on with normal cars, but you should keep an eye on the weather forecast for the past few days, as heavy precipitation can have a major negative impact on road conditions. We didn’t have any major problems with our micro-camper, but some volcanic stones „touched“ our underbody with their sharp edges.

Increased attention is required on the breathtaking path through an impressive landscape. Not only to capture all the impressions of nature with your eyes, but also because you always have to expect oncoming traffic on the often difficult-to-see and winding sections.

At the end of the road is the Þakgil campsite. This is located at the end of the valley and is therefore perfectly protected from the weather. There are small cabins available for guests to rent, or you can park your tent or motorhome of your choice on the large green area. The lounge is located in a natural cave and can be heated.

There is a small parking lot at a junction about 800 meters below the campsite. Vehicles that are not capable of off-road use should definitely not drive further here, but visitors can park their wheels there and explore the hiking trails around Þakgil on foot. Several tours of different lengths and levels of difficulty start from there. These are signposted on site.

From the parking lot, the climb begins after about 500 meters and the hiking route to the summit of Mount Sker winds uphill in several tight curves. After about half an hour you have a fantastic view of the campsite in the gorge and the surrounding mountains.

The arduous path continues uphill and is rewarded with a panoramic view far over the Myrdalssandur and to the sea. The surrounding mountain slopes are bathed in bright green and contrast with the gray-black volcanic stones.
We would rate the difficulty of the hike as “medium”. Although no alpine hiking knowledge is necessary, sufficient fitness and good footwear are the minimum requirements to be able to complete this tour. The route from the campsite to the top of Mount Sker takes about five hours (round trip) without breaks. This means you have enough time and enough provisions to take with you.

How to get there?

The turnoff from the ring road to road 214 is about five kilometers east of Vík í Mýrdal directly at the Hotel Katla.
The road is unpaved along the entire route of around 15 kilometers and should not be used by large motorhomes or very sporty vehicles with low ground clearance.

Conclusion:

Here the journey itself is clearly the destination. The landscape appears very surreal with its strong play of colors. On the Internet we have read names such as “Valley of Mordor” or “Valley of Trolls and Elves” for Þakgil and anyone who has seen the Lord of the Rings can certainly draw certain parallels.
If you make a stopover in Vík í Mýrdal, you should definitely set aside a day and experience the route. The narrow gravel road gives travelers a glimpse of the highlands without having to travel long distances in off-road vehicles.