All info is from the guidebook Kerlingareldur by Sigurður Tómas Þórisson
The route Kerlingareldur is in the mountain Kerling (1.114m) that separates Svarfaðadalur and Skíðadalur in the Tröllaskagi peninsula next tothe fjord Eyjafjörður. The route is in the front of a dike (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dike_(geology)) inside a cirque between the mountains Stóll and Kerling, and it is clearly visable from the town Dalvík.
The walk starts from the farm Melar in Svarfaðadalur, but to there is a 10-15 min drive from Dalvík. The walk up to the cirque takes a lilltle bit more than one hour and the walk in the cirque, up the snowslope and to the dike about the same. It’s recomended to take an iceaxe with you and listen carefully for rockfall, wich is different depending on the circumstances and time of year. Another thing to keep in mind is avalance danger, specially early in the summer. Best is to take at least two half ropes and a single traditional rack. Small cams come in handy. Some of the pitches are long so it pays of to take plenty of slings and quickdraws. It’s also nice to have some pitons to make a temporary anchor, not a lot of places for gear above the snow slope.
1. pitch. 5.5, 35m
Starts in front of the dike in decent holds and gear, up to a slab with a small traverse to the right in the end. Here you will have to make a belay with your own gear, no bolts.
2. pitch. 5.7, 25m
Above the slab the climbing becomes steeper. There you have two gutters side by side. Caution, there are a few loose flakes in the gutters! Ends in a little zik-zak above the gutters to an obvious ledge with two bolts.
3. pitch. 5.6, 30m
Go straight up for 5m, up loose flakes in to a big gutter and on up 10m to the left edge of the dike. on the other side of the corner you have 15m long 1-2m wide but steep balconys, with decent holds up to a two bolt belay.
4. pitch. 5.9, 20m
Straight up a steep section to the right of the belay on very iffy holds for 5-6m, here is a bolt for the hardest and most unbelayable section. Above this section is easyer climbing on a slab to a two blot belay
5. pitch. 5.8, 35m
This pitch is the most serious in the route and follows upp the last section to the edge in worse rock than in other places in the route. The pitch starts in tricky but fun flakes up to a leaning ledge half way up. Here it is tricky to place gear and you have to be carefull not to pull to hard on the flakes, because some of them are very loose.
The original edition of the route is to go of the leaning ledge above the flakes to the right edge of the dike. There are two permanent pitons up the hardest and most unbelayable section. It is also possible to go to the far left on the leaning ledge into a steep corner under a small roof. The corner is climbed up to the roof and then traversed to the left around it. Above this section is a big ledge and a little zik-zak gets you up the final section approx 4m to a big ledge with two bolts
6. pitch. 10-15m
From the belay is 10-15m scramble to the top of the dike. The top is very exposed and full of loose rocks so it is best to place gear on the way up there.
After checking out the view it is best to back down again and rappell down in three 40-60m rappells.
•From top of pitch 5 to top of pitch 4
•From top of pitch 4 to top of pitch 2
•From top of pitch 2 to the snow slope
Or follow the red arrow marked N for down
