Esja to Steinn, below Þverfellshorn

From the car park by Esjustofa, take the main path north into the planted woods at Mógilsá, over a small footbridge and up to the signed fork at about 225 m. Keep straight on up the western path, the steeper and more direct one, which climbs beside the Mógilsá gully to Steinn, a big boulder at about 600 m under the crags of Þverfellshorn. Come down by the eastern path, which drops across the slope, crosses a side stream on stepping stones and rejoins the way up at a footbridge just above the fork.

It is 7.1 km round with 577 m of ascent; allow about 4 hours. The grade is Hard: a steep, loose mountain path all the way up, slippery when wet.

The walk stops at Steinn. Above it, the way to Þverfellshorn climbs rock bands with fixed chains and steps, an easy scramble on loose rock, so it is left out. The weather on Esja changes quickly. From late autumn the upper path ices over and Ferðafélag Íslands says to carry spikes; in winter and spring the eastern path has avalanche and rockfall risk, so go up and down by the western path then.

The car park is free, just off Route 1 about 10 km from central Reykjavík, with a café and toilets. Strætó route 29 from Mosfellsbær stops at Esjurætur by the entrance.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.