Distance: 23-24 kilometres. Route: Heljarrétt in Kolbeinsdalur Heljardalur Deildardalsjökull Unadalsskarð Hákambar Unadalsjökull Hvarfdalsskarð Hvarfdalur Lágheiði.
Maximum elevation: 1,050 metres. Hiking time: 12-14 hours.
Taking the Hákambar route means taking the route between Kolbeinsdalur and the Fljót area. This route was taken by many people, both by Hólar students and farmers from Hjaltadalur and Kolbeinsdalur who got their supplies in Ólafsfjörður. The Hákambar route is described here starting from the Heljarrétt fold in Kolbeinsdalur valley. You can get to the Heljarrétt fold by fording the Kolbeinsdalsá river. The river is voluminous on warm days because of thawing ice. You start by hiking along a path up the Heljabrekkur slope and into the Heljardalur valley to the Kabagil canyon. During the hike you need to cross the Heljará river which can be quite difficult during a thaw and in that case you need to find a ford to get across. The path is followed until you arrive at Kambagil canyon and then you turn from the path on the Heljardalsheiði heath and the course is set along a gravel plain in the direction of Deildardalsjökull glacier. The course must be set to the right of mount Deilir, which is a cone shaped mountain rising up from the glacier at the bottom of Seljadalur valley. To the left of mount Deilir is the Afglapaskarð pass. Deildardalsjökull glacier has, just like other glaciers in the Tröllaskagi peninsula, been shrinking in recent years and at present there is little left of it north of mount Deilir. In some places, the route is therefore more difficult to pass than previously, especially after the snow melts and you have to walk over the glacial scree. From the glacier, the route takes us across the bottom of Seljadalur valley and now we set a course for Unadalssskarð pass. There is an easily passable path which leads onto the Unadalsjökull glacier which can be treacherous and with fissures, in particular late in the summer. The way up the glacier and up to Hákambar is a gravel ridge between Skallárdalur valley and Unadalur valley. From Hákambar the view is strikingly beautiful in all directions. The ridge is easily passable, but at one point it is cut by a foothill where you are able to see an ancient trail probably made by humans and part of an age-old main trail along the Kambar. When you get past the ridge, you will need to go out onto the glacier again and the course is now taken for Hvarfdalsskarð pass. There is a scree with large rocks which is slowly passable when you go down from the ridge that leads out on the glacier. If there is enough time, it is interesting to walk up the southern mountain side of mount Einstakafjall and observe the views to the east and to the west. This is the only point where you are able to view the populated areas of Hofsós, the Fljót area and Ólafsfjörður. From this point you will be able to receive a mobile connection (65°52,662´ and 18°57,001´). From mount Einstakafjall the distance to Hvarfdalsskarð pass is very short. There is also a trail to Móafellsdalur valley and from there the route lies down to the Fljót area. When you arrive at the Hvarfdalsskarð pass, you will find a well-made cairn and from it there is easy passage down to Hvarfdalur valley and across Drykkjará river to the Lágheiðarvegur road.