Terrifying footage shows hiker climb to outcrop in Iceland

It will be a real challenge for some people to watch this clip without their palms sweating.

The footage shows a hiker, with apparently no safety equipment whatsoever, casually walking along a very narrow ledge to the top of a remote precipice hundreds of feet up in south Iceland – that’s barely big enough for more than two people to stand on.

The video is just a few seconds long, but it’s long enough to be jaw-dropping.

 

Footage shows a hiker, with apparently no safety equipment whatsoever, casually walking along a very narrow ledge to the top of a remote precipice in south Iceland

It has surfaced on YouTube and on Imgur, with one user, EloquentNinja, describing it as ‘walking on Nope Mountain’.

Another Imgur commenter, Alexwrath, said: ‘I got the worst butterflies in my stomach watching this.’ 

The camera points down to the hiker’s feet as the final few yards of the climb are negotiated.

The video is just a few seconds long, but it¿s long enough to be jaw-dropping

The video is just a few seconds long, but it’s long enough to be jaw-dropping

At one point the ledge narrows to just one foot in width. On either side are huge drops.

But this doesn’t faze the filmmaker, who swings the camera around at the top, from a horrifyingly tiny vantage point, to reveal a breath-taking vista – the Fjaorargljufur canyon, where a huge river, the Fjaora, runs for two kilometres (1.2 miles) between dark cliffs around 100 metres (330ft) tall.

The video may be mesmerising to watch, but officials from Promote Iceland aren’t impressed.

The camera points down to the hiker¿s feet as the final few metres of the climb are negotiated - then an outcrop barely big enough for two people is reached

The camera points down to the hiker’s feet as the final few metres of the climb are negotiated – then an outcrop barely big enough for two people is reached

The organisation told MailOnline Travel: ‘Our main concern is traveller’s safety. The actions of the individual in this video show a disregard for the untouched beauty and nature of Iceland and they have also put their own safety at risk.

‘We strongly recommend that viewers explore our country using recognised footpaths, or those approved by a certified guide. Tourists can take our ‘Icelandic Pledge’, which gives a great overview of how to enjoy Iceland safely and how to be a responsible and considerate tourist. We encourage everyone who comes to Iceland to take it and share with their friends.’ 

Iceland recently released what it claims to be ‘The Hardest Karaoke Song in the World’ and are encouraging people to watch it and have a go themselves. 

One Imgur user, EloquentNinja, described the endeavour as ¿walking on Nope Mountain¿. The view at the top is of the dramatic Fjaorargljufur canyon

One Imgur user, EloquentNinja, described the endeavour as ‘walking on Nope Mountain’. The view at the top is of the dramatic Fjaorargljufur canyon

The song, performed by Icelandic comedian Steindi Jr, shows him in a variety of beautiful spots in Iceland including on top of mountains and next to glacial waterfalls. 

The lyrics and performance of the comical film pokes fun at common Icelandic stereotypes including the Icelandic love for wool and their iconic ring road. 

Meanwhile, if your appetite for stomach-churning hiking videos isn’t yet sated, you could do worse than watch footage of intrepid climbers braving vertical ascents, steep staircases and narrow walkways on Mount Hua in China.

The Mount Hua Shan’s precarious plank path walk is notorious for being one of the most deadly walking trails in the world, measuring a nail-biting one-foot in width in parts.

Travel writers and photographers Alesha and Jarryd, from the Nomadasaurus blog, who have been travelling the world together since 2008, uploaded the terrifying point-of view footage of the climb on YouTube.  

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk