Smoke on Water

So as you drive through Iceland you will come across many places that have steam rising above the ground. And to tell you the truth, this place isn’t much different. There’s hot water, there’s steam, the thing that set’s this place apart though is the surrounding. Which in my opinion is good enough to allow for a quick stopover.

What might seem like a fairly normal spot is actually really impressive, on one side of the road you have lava fields covered by moss, on the other a hot river which disappears underground.

In the background, you have a hot water plant, steam everywhere and mountains hugging the clouds.

The river itself isn’t anything special. in fact, if it didn’t have steam rising above it you probably would never even consider stopping along the road here.

But something I discovered here due to my curiosity is that right beside the pool of water is a small canyon.

Yes, there are many canyons in Iceland and compared to those ones this one can be quite boring, still, when walking along it you will be amazed by the incredible Flora inside.

I mean it’s a completely different ecosystem inside. This is due to the ground being warm enough all year round to allow fo

r plants like ferns and different types of moss to thrive in here.

Additionally, there are a few caves in the distance and a few hikes, but I wasn’t curious enough to do those.

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Make sure to check out other Golden Circle Attractions:

– Church on the Lake (Úlfljótsvatnskirkja)
– Little Canada
– Smoke on water
– Echo Point
– Þingvellir
– Bruarfoss
– Geysir
– Gullfoss
– Bruarhlod
– Hrunalaug
– Kerid

If you find Smoke on Water, and take some more incredible pictures of the canyon, make sure to put them in the comments below. Also make sure to Share this post so others can enjoy this spot.

Smoke on Water

Echo Point

This place took me by surprise, I stopped here for the view but stayed here for the Echo.

The way I found out about this place was when I came here I heard a sheep in the distance and me being me, I decided to make some wild noises. After that, I realised what a magical place this really is and have taken many friends here to enjoy the incredible echo that this place creates.

Oh lets also not forget about the incredible views that this place has.

Situated above Pingvallatan lake halfway up a cliff. In the distance, you can see little rock Iceland that during cloudy weather seem like they are floating above the surface of the lake. Perfect spot for a drone.

You will know when you are at the right place when you see a cattle grid across the road.

Pull up and enjoy the view and make as much noise as possible. Seriously though the echo is incredible and one of my favourite spots on Konrad’s Golden Circle

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Make sure to check out other Golden Circle Attractions:

– Church on the Lake (Úlfljótsvatnskirkja)
– Little Canada
– Smoke on water
– Echo Point
– Þingvellir
– Bruarfoss
– Geysir
– Gullfoss
– Bruarhlod
– Hrunalaug
– Kerid

If you enjoy this spot make sure to comment below and share this post with others.

Echo Point

Little Canada

When I drive by this point I always think to myself… Am I still in Iceland. Picture this, a beautiful lake, pine trees, an abandoned house and a road that hugs the lake. This is why I decided to call it Little Canada, and if you drive past here you probably will also think the same.

It truly is a breathtaking spot and fantastic for pictures, lunch and rock skimming across the lake. The beach along the road is formed by millions of perfectly round and smooth rocks that are just begging to be skimmed across the top of the lake.

Every time I get to this point I practice my skimming, it’s really relaxing and makes me realise how beautiful Iceland really is. So far my record is 19 bounces on the surface of the water.

Also right next to the road there is fresh water flowing so if you are parched after a decent slogging session with the rocks and need a quick drink you will come across this little creek that runs under the road. You can also fill up your water bottles here.

I find this place to be perfect to visit when the clouds are low, as the reflection on the water is absolutely stunning. Also, the water itself is crystal clear and the rocks below the surface make for some incredible pictures.

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Make sure to check out other Golden Circle Attractions:

– Church on the Lake (Úlfljótsvatnskirkja)
– Little Canada
– Smoke on water
– Echo Point
– Þingvellir
– Bruarfoss
– Geysir
– Gullfoss
– Bruarhlod
– Hrunalaug
– Kerid

Hope you enjoy Little Canada as much as I did and if you liked this small addition to the Golden Circle let me know in the comments below. If you liked this post make sure to share it with others.

Little Canada

Drone footage and Downhill Mountain biking seems like the perfect marriage

Ever wondered what it might look like chasing after someone riding downhill on their mountain bike from a drone’s perspective?


Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore as someone has done it.

Having an extreme sport such as downhill mountain biking where there is a lot of weaving between tree’s, jumps and constant crash hazards seemed like the last place for a drone. But thanks to a few crazy souls who were happy to brave the potential destruction of their drone we now have proof that it is possible.

[bctt tweet=”And let’s just say, the angle is amazing. ” username=”mendooutdoors”]

Using a small Lux v2 racing quadcopter drone you get the first person view of chasing after a mountain biker at high speed. The biker performs some jumps which with the addition of slow motion makes the video really outstanding.

At one point the drone does hit the dirt but doesn’t seemed fazed at all from the bump and continues the chase.

All credit definitely goes to the drone pilot in this one as just the thought of having to keep up with the biker makes me quite nervous. Especially considering that I have already lost a drone and crashed it multiple times.

 

A post shared by Paul Nurkkala (@nurkfpv) on Oct 2, 2017 at 7:52am PDT

So I guess the question is, if people are now able to fly drone’s in such confined spaces, what will the future of drone footage look like taking into account future technology advancements.

All I can think of is that we are definitely coming into an age where everyone will be able to take breathtaking footage no matter where they are. That actually has me pumped.

If you are a drone pilot and have similar footage we would be super excited to check it out. You can leave a message in the comments below and while you’re there don’t forget to like mendooutdoors on facebook and share this article.

Drone footage and Downhill Mountain biking seems like the perfect marriage

Tim Gallaway - Kayak - Featured Profile

Are you a kayaking fan? Do you enjoy the thrill of rushing water past you while speeding down the rapids? Then This featured profile will be right up your alley

Tim Gallaway is a kayaking enthusiast for a majority of his life, with plenty of amazing tips and adventures to share.

My name is Tim Gallaway and I have been a kayak instructor for the last 10 years (about 1/3 of my life).

I originally got into kayaking as a fun way to explore the lakes and rivers around my home and from there it has grown into an obsession and a way of life.

My kayak of choice is a plastic sea-kayak that is about 17.5 feet (5.36 m) long.

It is a great all around kayak and I use it for day trips, surfing, instructing students, and long expeditions.

My longest trip took 34 days and covers about 860 miles from the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Reflect on your adventures, what went wrong, what went right? Are you happy with the result, are you happy with yourself? #kayak #kayaking

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I had been planning that expedition for 2 years. It started off as all trips do as a simple idea. I blame my Dad for the idea.

He just mentioned maybe to take some time off and go paddle in Quebec once I graduated. So it began.

I planned to follow the Great Lakes all the way to the sea but a Canadian friend of mine told me about the old voyageur canoe route through Northern Ontario and I knew that was the route I wanted to follow.

It would include the familiar and the unfamiliar, open water and small rivers, rapids and portaging, big cities and tidal flows, English and French.If y

A month away from my ‘normal’ was exactly what I needed at that moment in my life.

Diversify your skill set, learn as much as you can from as many people you can. A wider base makes a stronger structure. Be a renaissance ________. #kayak #kayaking

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Besides exploring open water I also love the thrill of whitewater paddling and, on the opposite end of the spectrum, the rush of paddling racing surfski kayaks.

But my real passion lies in traditional Greenland style paddling.

Not a lot of people know about this type of paddling but there is a lot to learn about kayaking if you go back to the source.

Qajaqing (traditional spelling of kayaking & pronounced the same way) as we know it today developed in the Arctic by the Inuit people as a means of hunting marine mammals and for transport.

The skills they came up with to stay alive in those hostile waters translate perfectly to modern equipment.

Learn the history of your passion. If you see where it came from you can better see where it is going. #kayak #kayaking

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I really jumped into traditional paddling with both feet and no hesitation. It just seemed to fit.

It felt natural where most other sports were a struggle. It was just the right amount of challenge and reward, a combination that is always difficult to find when exploring new things.

I learned dozens of new special techniques and pushed myself to be better.

I had a goal through all of this, to compete in the Greenland National Qajaqing Championship, a week-long set of competitions held every summer in Greenland (events include races, qajaq rolling, harpoon throwing, and rope gymnastics (www.youtube.com/kayaktothesea).

In the traditional paddling community, Greenland is the holy land.

As the place where the paddles and kayaks and techniques we use originated it is often seen as the pinnacle of qajaq achievement to go paddling in Greenland.

I have an ongoing youtube series about travelling to Greenland to compete.

Take a look at my youtube channel to watch. I try to get a new one out every few weeks.

I feel really lucky to have found a sport and passion that can be so many different things.

It can be my adrenaline fix or my meditation, or often both at the same time.

Kayaking for me is just like the water: some days it can be calm and relaxed, other days tumultuous and exciting, and everything in between.

It flows and changes and no two days are exactly the same.

Learn to adapt to change. Don’t let your mindset lock you into a paradigm. Learn to ride the swells rather than be washed over by them. #kayak #kayaking

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Follow Tim Gallaway on his social networks

 

 

Tim is an inspiring outdoor adventurer, with plenty of amazing kayaking achievements under his belt.

Make sure to check out his social networks and follow him for more amazing journeys that he might venture on in the future.

If you know of someone with an incredible outdoor story make sure to contact us so we can feature them on mendooutdoors.com

Tim Gallaway - Kayak - Featured Profile

Speed Climbing to be part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Imagine this, you’re standing at the bottom of a 15min wall, a small beep signals the start of the race, 7 seconds later it’s all over and you either go on to vs another competitor or go home.

Source: https://www.chamonet.com/events/calendar/world-climbing-championships-chamonix

That is the world of speed climbing and it has just been introduced as one of five new Olympic sports in Tokyo 2020. With a total of 20 men and 20 female athletes which will grace the worlds biggest stadium, we are sure to enjoy some nail-biting competition.

 

Each competition taking less than 7 seconds, it is considered the fastest Olympic Sport. With the fastest time so far held by Iranian speed climber Reza Alipourshenazandifar who reached the top of the wall in 5.48 seconds.

During 2016 Speed climbing World Championships Marcin Dzienski from Poland took out the top honour with a time of 5.83 and Anna Tsyganova from Russia (7.52 seconds).

 

The wall itself is a standardized wall, which is 15m high, slightly overhanging with identical holds with a difficulty rating of F6b. This is a level that most recreational climbers could complete. Also, it’s a top belay system.

To complete a run up the wall you either can manually time yourself or strike a switch at the top.

Are you excited for this competition? Do you know someone who is already on track to be the next champion, if so comment below and like and share this post.

Speed Climbing to be part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Snowboarding Safety Techniques You Really Need To Know

If you are planning on becoming a pro snowboarder but you are only just beginning, then something you will probably realise quite quickly is that you’ve gotta take a few tumbles here and are.

I mean you’d have to be superhuman to avoid them. With tumbles come injuries and the most common injuries are to your wrists, shoulders and collarbone.

So let us delve into a bit of snowboarding safety and work out the best ways you can make sure that you protect yourself from any injuries.

#Get a few snowboarding lessons

A great place to start is to make sure you get some professional guidance on the things you should be learning about.

I mean it could cost you a bit of money, but let’s face it injuries will most likely cost you more time and money.

So if you can make sure to get some lessons first and enjoy your time a lot more.

#Get some good wrist guards

As mentioned earlier the highest amount of injuries are to your wrists. That is because when you fall down the first thing you do is you put your hands out to absorb the fall.

At high speeds, there is a lot to absorb and because of that, your wrists crack like thin branches.

Trust me I have had one of my a friend fall over and break the wrist from what seemed like the most gentle of gentle falls.

In the end, we went to a hospital and she spent 6 weeks in a cast. That was also the end of our snowboarding trip which kind of sucked.

They might look goofy but wrist guards will absorb and redistribute the impact away from the gentle parts of your wrist.

Check out the Center for injury research and policy page for more information

Do you wear wrist guards and what do you think about this snowboarding safety tip? Let me know in the comments below

#Get a helmet.

Just look at the greatest formula driver in history. Michael Schumacher, he was wearing a helmet and ended up in a coma. Imagine what would have happened if he was not wearing one.

Even though he still isn’t in the best shape possible, there are still chances that he might end up walking in the future.

Without the helmet, I think the outlook would have been completely different.

You might think it doesn’t look cool to wear a helmet, but what is even worse is being injured to the point where you cannot snowboard or participate in any outdoor activities ever again.

#Snowboard on runs you are confident on.

Learn the different colour and shape codes and make sure that you stick to them until you are confident enough to move up a level.

It’s like with any game you start of easy and then you try for hard.

If you decide to go straight for hard you will most likely fail.

In the game, it might mean a few points, but in real life, it means injuries and death.

#Learn how to fall.

That is correct, you need to learn how to fall properly to decrease the chances of yourself being injured while on the snow.

Like mentioned before when you fall you put your hands out to absorb as much impact as possible.

But this will mean that you’ll break your wrists, shoulders and collarbone.

When falling, instead of putting your hands straight out, cross your arms across your chest, and let the snow and your clothing absorb most of the impact.

Yes, this might seem like something completely counterintuitive and it might not work the first few times, but keep practising and you will grasp it.

A simple way to practice is to stand in one place and just keep falling over onto the snow with your arms crossed over your chest

It might hurt a bit but at least You will be less likely to break something.

Have you ever broken any bones while snowboarding? let me know in the comments below, and how since then you have changed your snowboarding style.

#Do not drink on the slopes

Trust me I’ve done it before, you decide to head up the slopes but before you do you grab a few beers.

It might be enjoyable but it does reduce your ability to react to any oncoming dangers.

It might seem obvious while driving not to drink, but seeing as you’re travelling at high speeds with nothing to protect you except for a helmet and wrist guards just the thought of crashing into something will cause pain to you.

If you are in serious need of a beverage, wait up till after the session on the mountain as an added bonus for every hour you snowboard you use up calories equivalent to 3 beers

#Have energy

One thing I have noticed over my many years as an outdoor instructor is that when I felt hungry my computing skills weren’t as efficient.

This is something I noticed with everyone in my groups, so what I would do is I would stop and make everyone eat something to replenish their energy.

This is the same with snowboarding when you get hungry you compute less and because of that, you are more prone to doing something stupid and injuring yourself.

Keep a snack on you such as the one that I have described in High energy food for winter and you will not only be able to snowboard longer but enjoyed the time more not having to think about food.

#Be fit

Snowboarding is a hell of a sport and it requires plenty of energy for you to be able to really enjoy it.

Not only will you be able to snowboard for longer but you’ll be able to pull off better tricks if you have your body in peak performance.

For a few simple and easy snowboarding exercises check out this post

These are my simple safety snowboarding techniques that are recommended everyone takes into consideration as it could save me from injury but also something even worse

If you are enjoying this tips make sure to like share and pin with others so that they can also learn some new snowboarding safety tips.

So that is my list of safety tips I recommend everyone does and learns before going snowboarding.

Simple things like this can possibly save you from breaking bones but also will mean that you will be less likely to end up in a hospital for a really bad injury.

I hope you got something out of this article and if you did make sure to share it, pin it and like it with others so that they can learn some snowboarding safety tips as well

Snowboarding Safety Techniques You Really Need To Know

18 Glamping Ideas That Will Turn Your Next Trip Unforgettable

Camping is by far one of the most enjoyable activities while being outdoors, but not everyone is ready to tough it out on a hard forest floor.

That is why glamping is becoming quite popular these days. Use these glamping ideas to really enhance your outdoor experience

And let’s face it, who wouldn’t like to spend a week in the forest connecting with nature, breathing in fresh air, sitting around a fire and enjoying all that the outdoors has to offer, while getting a good nights rest on a queen size air bed inside of a massive tent.

I mean there is nothing wrong with toughing it out and pushing your survival limits to the tests. Yes, there are people that love it, but for people who come from cities where comfort is the number one priority, this is the perfect alternative.

So what entails glamping you may ask.

Simply put glamping is camping with all the added creature comforts that are unnecessary to enjoy the outdoors but which enhance the comfort of your stay out in nature.

So on that note let’s jump into some glamping ideas which will enhance your next trip outdoors:

#Get yourself a big tent.

Long gone are the days when you pull up in a car and have a small tent into which a whole family has to squeeze in at night.

These days you can get tents in which you can stand up but also provide you with privacy by having separate rooms.

I mean the walls are thin but at least you can get changed in it without having to worry that someone might walk in on you in your birthday suit.

#Get yourself an air mattress.

Not only does it fold down and doesn’t take up much room but the queen size air mattress can provide you with plenty of comforts.

These days in facts you can get air mattresses that are not only rigid but also tough and soft.

For even more comfort get yourself a battery-powered inflator so that your lungs do not have to slave away blowing up your bed.

#Bring your blankets and pillows.

First of all who said that you have to sleep in a sleeping bag while outdoors.

If you have a large air mattress why not also cover yourself up at night time with soft warm blankets and rest your head on a big pillow.

Enjoying these Glamping ideas? Make sure to leave your best ideas in the comments below to get them featured on this page.

#Bring sandals.

Now it is a recommendation to always wear shoes while outdoors as you never know what you might step on but in that case why not wear sandals when sitting around the fire or walking around camp.

Now, this might annoy a few people but the most comfortable outdoor sandals are crocs.

Not only are they soft is and comfortable but they also provide protection from the top and are lightweight and perfect for when you go swimming as they float.

 

#Bring floor mats and rugs.

Yes, that is correct. Bring something you can lay on the floor of the tent so you can walk around in luxury.

It also creates a nice vibe inside the tent. A quick suggestion though would be to lay a tarp underneath the rugs to make sure they stay as dry as possible.

#Bring Christmas lights (fairy lights).

You can wrap these bad boys around inside the tents and your campsite to give it a super nice atmosphere.

Just make sure you invest in the waterproof kind and the ones that run of batteries.

#Bring scented candles.

The forest smells beautiful but it can smell even better with scented candles.

You can place them around the campsite (not recommended inside the tent) and best of all they can be the mosquito repellent kind.

 

#Bring an armchair with you.

When sitting around the campfire it is definitely enjoyable having any form of a seat, be it a log, a rock or an armchair.

You will usually find that people will scramble for the chair as it is the most comfortable to sit on.

Additionally, it’s fantastic for when you are having dinner as most of them come with a beverage holder in the armrests.

#Bring an icebox for your beverages.

One of my all-time favourite things to do is sit around a fire with my friends and drink tasty, cold beverages.

But in the middle of the forest, you will find it difficult to find a cooler box or ice which in turn will make the beverages warm up quite quickly.

If you are adamant not to bring another icebox bring a net as you can put your beverages into the net and keep them in the stream, river or lake.

Just make sure that the cans won’t float away and that you tie the net to something sturdy.

Share, Tweet, Pin These Glamping ideas so that your friends and family can use them on their next trip

#Bring cooking pots.

Seeing as you most likely are going to drive into your glamping area, you won’t have to worry about the weight of your pots and pans.

That is why you should bring cast iron pots as they work best on coals and fire. Additionally, if you bring a cast iron pot you can make delicious stews which can slowly cook throughout the day on the coals.

#Bring a bucket for your number twos.

For many dropping a log in the forests can be quite relaxing. Unfortunately though for places with many campers you will find that it is a minefield of buried poo.

That is why these days a better option is to bring your own bucket with a decomposable bag and a hole in the lid to make it comfortable to sit on.

It is not the most enjoyable thing to clean up, but it definitely beats accidentally coming across someone else’s leftovers.

Another reason why you do not want to leave your poo in the forest is that animals will literally sniff it out and if it’s buried not too deep they will dig it out and feast on it.

And let’s face it the human diet is not the healthiest meal for wild outdoor animals.

#Bringing aluminium foil.

Well, the thing is you can bring aluminium foil while camping also. The best thing about it though is you can make some incredible meals by wrapping up the food in the foil and placing it on the coals.

Let the heat do the work for you and afterwards enjoy an incredibly tasty meal.

Which Glamping ideas impressed you the most? Which ones will you use at your next camping ground

#Bring toys (obviously for the kids).

If you have little kids with you, the best thing you can do is bring their favourite toys along so that they can stay occupied for hours on end.

Also, research some camping games to get the children in touch with nature.

#Get an RV or Camper.

For the ultimate in luxury, why not hire or purchase an RV or Camper and pull up to your campsite, park your car and right from the moment go enjoy yourself.

There won’t be any need for unpacking and setting up the campsite as everything in the camper will be ready.

What’s even better is that you will most likely have power and a proper toilet inside the camper.

#Bring an outdoor shower.

These days you can find yourself an outdoor shower unit which you can attach to a tree and enjoy warm water as it flows down onto you.

This is great if you find that the water in the lake, river or creek is a little too cold for your liking.

#Bring a grill.

Yes, you most likely will have a fire on which you can cook your meals but cooking on fire isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do.

So if you grab yourself a grill, you can enjoy the fire while the food cooks on the side.

On the topic of fire, check out these amazing DIY fire starters which will make it super easy to light a fire next time you are glamping.

#Bring a first aid kit.

First aid kits can be massive but at the same time, every single thing in the kit can help you in time of need.

Not having to carry a big bulky kit will mean that you can bring a better one and have it on standby for almost any first aid requirement.

One thing you should consider is going through the first aid kit prior to going out to learn how to use all the bits and pieces within the kit.

For a few First Aid hacks check out my ebook 

#Bring floatation devices.

That is right, my all-time favourite thing while glamping is to float on the waters with a beverage in my hand, relax and watch the beautiful surroundings around me float by.

If you bring some water pistols you can also set the kids on a day of pirating which will give them a huge buzz.

So that is it. These are my top Glamping ideas which I will quite regularly update. If you have any of your own, pop them in the comments below and I will seriously consider including them in this list.

Also, if you enjoyed this article, make sure to share it with everyone.

18 Glamping Ideas That Will Turn Your Next Trip Unforgettable

Winter facts that will blow your mind

Snow is great but knowing crazy awesome winter facts makes the season even better. Specially if you get to blow your friends minds away with red hot facts

Check out this cool (pun intended) set of winter facts and enjoy this time of year even more.

Winter Facts to get you heaps excited

The snowiest city on earth is in…. Japan

Aomori City in northern Japan receives approximately 312 inches or 26 feet of snow each year.

Some also say that the snow in Japan is the best in the world, known for its fluffiness and obviously huge amounts.

If you had that much snowfall what would you build?

Ingenious ways to rid the snow

So we spoke of Aomori city having the most snow in the world, but what happens when a place like that has too much and has to think of ways to rid the snow.

One way is to dump it in parking lots and open fields and let nature run its course, melting it as the temperatures rise.

Another is dumping it into the ocean.

Probably not the best thing to do as it could have some complications with marine life and so on.

but besides those two, there is also a huge, diesel-guzzling kettle on wheels that spills hot water on the snow and melts it right in front of your eyes. Pretty cool in my opinion.

Salt anyone?

The US alone uses 22 million tons of salt during winter on the roads to make them safer for people to drive on.

I got the need for speed

Snowflakes fall at a speed of 1 to 6 feet per second.

So its very dependent on the shape of the snowflake, big pieces are more likely to float then small pellet shaped ones which plummet down to earth fast.

Which brings me to a question, In a vacuum what will drop faster, a feather or a kilo of lead? Type your answer in the comments below

Enjoying these Winter Facts? Comment Below your so that you can get your answer featured on this page

Do you want to build a snowman?

The best time to build a snowman, igloo, or just have a plain old snowball fight is when you have a wetter type of snow.

Something you probably knew before but did you know the perfect ratio is 5 parts water to 1 part snow. Yep, kinda accurate.

If you are planning on spending a long time outdoors building an igloo or just having a plain snowball fight, check out these articles on how to get plenty of energy and stay warm outside.

How to stay warm in winter

7 High energy foods to keep you warm 

Work on your winter tan

So as weird as it may seem, during winter or the 3rd of January, planet earth is closest to the sun. Which in turn confirms that the earth is flat… Not

Yep, in fact, we are approximately  3.1 million miles closer to the sun than on July the 5th which is the time we are the furthest away.

If you don’t see it, you tend to enjoy it more, right?

Supposedly men rated pictures of women’s breasts and bodies as more attractive in the winter months. Reason for that is we don"t see them as often during winter and get more excited about them

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And that brings my  winter facts to an end. So if you found them insightful and fun, make sure to share, pin and like this post and leave your comments with Winter Facts below.

Featured image: mrtumblr.com

 

Winter facts that will blow your mind

Church on the Lake (Úlfljótsvatnskirkja)

Let’s face it, no matter where you go in Iceland you are bound to get pleasantly surprised with what it has to offer in terms of natural beauty or even the mixture of both man-made and natural. Úlfljótsvatnskirkja is definitely a combination of the two.

This picturesque church which is positioned right on a lake, which in turn also has a backdrop of mountains is nothing short of inspiring. Best of all it is stunning at any point during the day. Be it early morning with the sunrise creeping over the mountains in the back, during the day when the clouds settle over the lake or at dusk when the warm light from the sun lights up the church. This will definitely make a memorable experience for you.

It’s not a very popular attraction but in saying that it can be part of the Golden Circle Tour as it fits perfectly just outside of Selfoss on the way to Pinvellir.

I can’t imagine this being a stop you would take more than 5 minutes to enjoy, but in saying that drone shots are really awesome from here.

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Make sure to check out other Golden Circle Attractions:

– Church on the Lake (Úlfljótsvatnskirkja)
– Little Canada
– Smoke on water
– Echo Point
– Þingvellir
– Bruarfoss
– Geysir
– Gullfoss
– Bruarhlod
– Hrunalaug
– Kerid

If you find this spot to be a great addition to your trip around the Golden Circle make sure to comment below and share this article with others.

Church on the Lake (Úlfljótsvatnskirkja)

Become a Camping Pro with these 150+ Camping Hacks

You can start as a beginner camper or go straight to the top reading over this one free ebook filled with over 150 Camping Hacks.

You will be able to learn hacks from a few different categories.

The categories include food, first aid, packing and fire prep.

Best of all you can download the book and take it everywhere with you and as a digital format and look at it on the fly.

If you have any other hacks that you reckon should be included in the book then let me know and I will make sure to include them int he future versions of the Ebook.

To get the book, subscribe below and a link will be sent to you where you can download it.

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The Camping hack ebook uses works perfectly well with the Camping Checklist that I have created

 

Become a Camping Pro with these 150+ Camping Hacks

30 Hiking Tips You Didn"t Even Know You Needed To Know

Don’t suffer on your next hiking trip, learn these hiking tips to make your life and journey a whole lot easier.

At the same time look like an absolute boss, showing off you incredibly cool new acquired skills.

Let’s get right into the hiking tips with no.1 which is definitely one of my favourite hiking activities. Enjoy 🙂

1. Learn fire making.

Practise makes perfect and what better place to do it then your own backyard. Grab some twigs, grab some fire starters some matches and have water handy just in case everything gets out of hand.

2. Spark, Oxygen, Fuel 

When building a fire make sure that you take into consideration 3 components of a good fire. It needs ignition which is the match, it needs fuel, which is the wood and fire starters and it requires oxygen.

If you starve the fire of oxygen then it won’t light up. Make sure that there is adequate airflow in your fire build.

3. You won’t always have the perfect conditions

Once you figure out a fire technique that you have successfully mastered, try doing it again with soaked wood and then finally try recreating the experience as if it was raining.

A good way to do this is to use a hose and sprinkle water on yourself and the fire.

4. Learn to pitch a tent.

Do it incorrectly and the rain will come in, or the wind will tear the joints. Tents need to be pitched tight, and you must be able to set your tent up in a few minutes.

So it’s always a great idea to play around with it before you go out on your trip. Also most importantly, at this point, you will most likely have the manual on how to set it up and pull it down.

In most cases, you won’t carry said manual with you while backpacking

As an added bonus you can have a camping day in your backyard. Let’s face it, that is a fun thing in itself

5. Creative Pegs

Sometimes you might have to improvise setting up a tent as you might lose pegs, camp on hard ground or be surrounded by a lot of trees.

Use the environment to your advantage. For example, if the ground is to hard, find some heavier rocks you can place on top of the tent ropes.

If there are too many trees around, the tie your tent to the tree.

If the soil is to wet try putting the pegs in a 45-degree angle towards the tent and then lay rocks on top.

Improvisation is the name of the game when backpacking in the wilderness.

6. Find out how to remain warm.

Practice outdoor camping in the yard, to see how obstructing the wind, using a hat, and eating fatty foods before sleeping can keep you warmer.

7. Layer up like an Onion

Just like an onion what you want to try and do is layer up. By that, I mean putting on multiple layers of clothes. jumper on shirt on shirt on a singlet, pants on pants, socks on socks.

By doing this you trap air between the layers and that ends up keeping you warm for longer periods of time.

8. Cotton is not your friend

Make sure to try and avoid cotton clothes as they do not retain heat very well and additionally keep moisture on your body which can cause hypothermia. If possible try getting woollen clothes.

Not only are woollen clothes nice to the touch but they also don’t retain smells, dry quickly and wick moisture away from your body (move moisture away from your body)

9. Don’t keep it in

Make sure to urinate before going to bed so that your body does not have to continually waste energy warming up your urine inside of your body.

Additionally who really likes to get out of bed in the middle of the night to take a pee

10. Keep yourself off the ground

If you tend to sleep cold make sure to keep yourself off the ground by using a mattress or leaves and layers of grass.

The ground literally steals your heat and energy and no matter how much you warm it, it will cool down quite rapidly which in turn will give you a terrible nights sleep and sore bones and muscles

Are you enjoying this hiking tips guide? Make sure to share them with others 🙂

11. Warm Water to the rescue

If you are still cold warm up water and put it into a bottle then place it in the bottom of your sleeping bag. After a short while, you should feel nice and toasty in your sleeping bag.

12.  Get the right Sleeping Bag

There are plenty of sleeping bags on the market, but did you know that some sleeping bags are made for men and others specifically for women.

It’s not a sales tactic but in most cases, women sleep colder due to the fact that their bodies are designed to keep warmth internally to protect the reproductive system.

13. Eat high energy snacks

Find the most densely nutritious snacks to eat before bed so that your body has something to work with while you sleep.

Luckily for you, I have done the research and created an article here for you 7 high energy foods to warm you up during winter

14. Stay Hydrated

You don’t usually associate dehydration with being cold but seeing as you are mostly made up of water, you require it to run all the processes in your body in an optimal state.

If your body isn’t running at an optimal state, it’s wasting energy which it could use to stay warm.

15. Learn to prepare over a fire.

It’s not as simple as it seems. Block the wind, cover the pan, keep the fire going and don’t burn yourself.

Well just like with everything keep practising and you will find the best way to cook.

16. PUT A LID ON IT

See what I did there with the title 🙂

If you have pots and pans make sure to have a lid for them so that you can cover food while cooking.

It’s also great if you are thinking of storing your food for a bit and as another added bonus you can use the lid as a plate with a comfortable handle in the centre.

17. Don’t burn your hands

Have a spondonicle on hand (a tool to grab your hot pots and pans) so that you don’t have to reach for the super hot pots with your hand.

Trust me, you will do it once and forever remember not to do it again. Keep Burn gel Handy.

18. Keep burn gel ready

Yeah, trust me, this is one of the nicest things to put on when you burn yourself.

In most cases you will burn yourself while cooking, throwing sticks into the fire or stepping on a coal in the dark. Keep the get handy just in case

Have you got any hiking tips of your own? Comment below to get them featured on this page.

19. Don’t pour fuel on the fire

I have seen it happen multiple times where someone is cooking at a fire and next moment someone pours methylated spirits on the fire.

Next moment there is a massive panic, eyebrows are burnt and a few holes appear in the clothes of the person who was cooking.

This is a likely scenario, but I have heard of people needing to be airlifted due to the fire exploding into a person’s eyes.

20. Cook your food on COALS

Cooking on the fire is probably only good for boiling water. Everything else, use coals.

When you have a hot fire, just push it to one side which in turn will uncover red-hot coals. Then shovel them over to a small pile away from the fire so it’s not to hot for you to work on your food.

Next, cook your food on the nicely laid out coals. As an added bonus you can throw in a few potatoes wrapped in aluminium foil into the coals under the pots and pans and have them cook at the same time.

21. Learn about edible plants

Understanding the best ways to identify cattails and three or four wild edible berries can make a journey more pleasurable, especially if you ever lose your food to a bear.

Just make sure you read the right guides to your area and in most instances stay away from mushrooms unless you really know what you are doing.

22. Learn how to walk

Surprisingly, something we don’t really think about can be improved in most cases. For example, walking for long distances you should keep your feet pointing forward at all times.

Just learned 30 hiking skills and tips that will impress even the most hardcore hikers out there #hiking #outdoors

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Might seem silly but a lot of people tend to end up having their feet pointing outwards from a straight-ahead position. This, in turn, uses more energy

To improve your walking ability, try walking over many different types of terrain. Such a rocky, sandy, on a slope etc. Try this with and without your backpack.

23. Learn the proper way to put on your backpack

If you have a backpack with a harness you need to really make sure that 80% of the weight is on your hips and only 20% or less on your shoulders.

By moving the weight of the bag onto your hips you will find it more comfortable but also it will prevent you from long-term injury if worn incorrectly.

A good way to know if your backpack is resting well on your hips is to have your hands slide in and out from under your shoulder straps with ease.

24. Learn to pack your bag correctly

By packing your bag correctly, you will keep the centre of gravity in line with your body. In doing this making it so much more comfortable to carry.

How do you pack your bag? Let us know to get your answer featured on this page

25. Waterproof, Waterproof… Did I say Waterproof?

That is correct, either get yourself some rubbish bags or some heavy duty reusable waterproof bags and wrap your sleeping bag in it, your mattress in it, your clothes in it your you electronics.

You can never underestimate how much water will get into your bag and through your gear. Either way, would you prefer to learn it the hard way?

Or have a nice crisp warm and dry sleeping bag to get into at the end of a rainy night. I know what I would prefer.

26. Learn your animals

First of all not only is it a lot of fun to spot random animals and knowing what they are in the wild but it can also be advantageous to you to know which animals mean no harm and which ones can kill you.

Can you distinguish if a bear is “bluff charging” or stalking you? Playing dead will make you a bear’s dinner if it’s the latter. Hint: great deals of sound typically means he simply wishes to terrify you, however you need to check out this one.

Also, information on snakes and spiders can help in determining if you have a potentially hazardous situation or not

What you need to know if you get bitten by a snake

27. First Aid

Learn the basic first aid, keep a full first aid kit with you at all times and know how to use each individual component of the kit.

28. Learn how to cover up Snake and Spider Bites

This is crucial information if in the instance you get bitten you can buy yourself valuable time till first aid arrives. Check out this guide on what to do.

29. Read the Sky

An important skill to learn is cloud reading, can you tell when a storm is on its way? Can you tell if it’s going to be cold tonight?

The sky can actually provide you with plenty of information that will help you determine the next course of action for your trip and if you should keep your rain gear handy.

30. Learn to navigate

A GPS just won’t cut it out in the forest, it might not get signal, might run out of battery or just stop working altogether. What will happen then?

By learning a few basic skills, like how to use a compass and map you can really get yourself out of a predicament.

Additionally what I like to say is that a map and a compass is like a key to the outdoors world. With them, you can go anywhere safely and find your way back as well.

And finally, it can actually be a lot of fun, plotting a course to follow and hitting every checkpoint along the way. For more information check out 7 advanced navigation techniques

If you are interested in some more hacks and tips check out

16 Camping Hacks that will forever change the way you camp

These are just a few of many hiking tips. Do you have any of your own that I didn’t mention? Comment them below and I’ll include them in this post

If you liked this post and learnt a thing or 2 make sure to share it with friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.

 

30 Hiking Tips You Didn"t Even Know You Needed To Know