Reached the Top 150 Times

A year ago, the goal of the couple Steinunn Ólöf Benediktsdóttir and Arnar Hallgrímur Ágústsson was to hike to the top of Úlfarsfell mountain 150 times during the year 2021. They reached their goal in November, Morgunblaðið reports. The 296-meter-high (970 ft) Úlfarsfell is a very popular place for the residents of the capital area to go hiking.

“The challenge is to follow your plan and not to deviate from it,” states Arnar, and admits it’s not always easy.

He states that in July, they took a break from their hiking schedule, meaning they had to make up for it afterwards. One day, they hiked to the top four times to make up for days they had skipped.

The couple made the decision early in their relationship to exercise on a regular basis. To begin with, they took walks in the Grafarvogur neighborhood, where they live. Then they purchased bicycles and started biking on a regular basis. What followed was hiking up Úlfarsfell and Esja mountains, in addition to other mountains in the capital region.

Their plan was to bring their friends with them the 150^th time they hiked to the top of  Úlfarsfell in November, but due to the pandemic, they decided against it and dressed instead up as clowns for the occasion.

“We enjoy being out in nature and clearing our minds at the same time,” Arnar states.

This year, the plan is not to limit their hikes to one mountain alone, but rather focus on exercising systematically 200 times a year. When and where remains to be decided.