Fascinating North Iceland

FROM THE LAKE OF THE MIDGES TO THE ARCTIC FOXES PLAIN

In 2023, we offer five different itineraries under the name of the tour Fascinating North Iceland. With these tours we cover the area from Grýtubakki farmhouse to Goðafoss, Bárðardalur, lake Mývatn area and up to the very north, Melrakkaslétta, the arctic foxes plain and the peninsula of Langanes.

 

CLASSIC (27. Juni 2023)

Day 1

In the late afternoon, we are going to pick-up the guests from Akureyri and bring them to our farm Grýtubakki. After dinner, we familiarise our guests with the course of the riding tour.

Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 2

On the second day, we follow the herd from our farm Grýtubakki through the valley Fnóskádalur all the way to the farm Birkihlíð, which is placed just in reach of the lake Ljósavatn. Our horses will stay there overnight while we make a short trip to the famous waterfall Goðafoss. According to the legend, Þorgeir, a wise spokesman of the law from Ljósavatn, threw all his statues of the old gods into the waterfall, when Iceland took over the Christian faith in 1000 after Christ.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 3

The bus will take us back to the farm Birkihlíð, where we saddle our horses and start riding towards the valley Bárðardalur. We follow the way along the lake Ljósavatn. On our right hand side, we find basalt mountains that are up to 700m high as well as old lava spots, which ran from the Trölladyngja at Òdaðahraun north of the glacier Vatnajökull. The waterfall of the gods, the Goðafoss, is situated at the beginning of the valley. Afterwards, we ride alongside the river Skjálfandafljót until we reach Kiðagil, our sleeping place for the night. Kiðagil is a school that is used as a “sleeping bag-accommodation” during the summer months, when the school is closed for the summer holidays. We spend five to six hours in the saddle.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Kiðagil.

Day 4

On the fourth day, we leave Kiðagil in direction Stóruvellir. On our way, we have to cross a suspension bridge to get to the other side of the valley. This day’s final destination is the deserted farm Stóratunga, which is placed in the south of the valley, just between the two rivers Skjálfandaflót and Svárta. There, we are very close to the entrance of the “culprit-desert” and can see the mountains next to the famous lake Myvatn in the far distance. After four to five hours riding, we leave our horses for the afternoon and walk to the impressive waterfall Aldeyafoss. Due to his beautiful basalt pillars, he counts as one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls. On our way, we also walk alongside the old riverbed of the river Skálfandaflót.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Stóratunga.

Day 5

After leaving Stóratunga behind, we ride over Landmelar, which is located close to Viðiker, into the region around the lake Myvatn. Jón Þorkelsson, who was famous for guiding travellers through the “culprit-desert” all the way to Askja, lived in Viðiker in the 19^th century. On this day, the way leads across sandhills and heathland. A breathtaking view awaits us when reaching the highest spot of Engidalur. In good weather, we might be able to see all the way to Heiðubreið, the queen of the Icelandic mountains. After three to four hours of riding, we arrive at the farm and hotel Stöng. We leave our horses there and drive back to Grýtubakki for the night. In the afternoon, you are welcome to relax in our local swimming pool.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 6

From Stöng, we ride by a deserted farm called Hörgsdalur in direction south. A diverse landscape with soft riding tracks awaits us. On our righthand side, we once again have the chance to look across the wonderful nature surrounding the lake Myvatn. On day six, we will spend round about six hours riding. The horses will stay on a big field of the farm Akrar, which is located in the valley Reykjadalur, while we drive back to Grýtubakki.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 7

On day seven, we start from Akrar and ride alongside Vatnshlið, a forested riding path. The view down into the valley Reykjadalur all the way to lake Vestmannsvath is unique. After crossing the mound Fljótheiði, we ride over a long bridge that stretches over the river Skjálfandafljót. A wounderful ride alongside the river, through the forest Fellsskógur and by the waterfalls Ullarfoss and Barnafoss awaits us. We will reach Fremstafell, our final destination, after round about six hours. There, we bid our horses farewell and drive back to Grýtubakki.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 8

After breakfast, we bid our guests farewell and take them back to Akureyri.

 

 

 

CLASSIC (7. Juli 2023)

Day 1

In the late afternoon, we are going to pick-up the guests from Akureyri and bring them to our farm Grýtubakki. After dinner, we familiarise our guests with the course of the riding tour. Overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 2

After breakfast, we will drive to the farm Fremstafell, which is located at the entrance of the forest Fellsskógur. The forest is one of Iceland’s greatest birch forests and part of a 22.000 ha big nature reserve. On this day, we spend the time to get to know the horses and ride without the herd to the waterfalls Barnafoss and Ullarfoss. Furthermore, we get to enjoy the view over the river Skjálfandafljót all the way to the ocean. After the lunch break, we go on exploring the surroundings of Fremstafell. Our horses will stay there overnight while we make a short trip to the famous waterfall Goðafoss. According to the legend, Þorgeir, a wise spokesman of the law from Ljósavatn, threw all his statues of the old gods into the waterfall, when Iceland took over the Christian faith in 1000 after Christ.

Riding without the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 3

The bus will take us back to Fremstafell, where we saddle our horses and start riding towards the valley Bárðardalur. On our right hand side, we find basalt mountains that are up to 700m high as well as old lava spots, which ran from the Trölladyngja at Òdaðahraun north of the glacier Vatnajökull. The waterfall of the gods, the Goðafoss, is situated at the beginning of the valley. Afterwards, we ride alongside the river Skjálfandafljót until we reach Kiðagil, our sleeping place for the night. Kiðagil is a school that is used as a “sleeping bag-accommodation” during the summer months, when the school is closed for the summer holidays. We spend five to six hours in the saddle.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Kiðagil.

Day 4

On the fourth day, we leave Kiðagil an follow the herd in direction Stóruvellir. On our way, we have to cross a suspension bridge to get to the other side of the valley. This day’s final destination is the deserted farm Stóratunga, which is placed in the south of the valley, just between the two rivers Skjálfandaflót and Svartá. There, we are very close to the entrance of the “culprit-desert” and can see the mountains next to the famous lake Myvatn in the far distance. After four to five hours riding, we leave our horses for the afternoon and walk to the impressive waterfall Aldeyafoss. Due to his beautiful basalt pillars, he counts as one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls. On our way, we also walk alongside the old riverbed of the river Skálfandaflót.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Stóratunga.

Day 5

On the fifth day, we spend our time exploring the surroundings of Stóratunga by enjoying two rides without the herd. In the morning, we will ride a circle alongside the river Skjálfandaflót, over the old lava Tunguhraun and all the way to Tunguhamri until we follow the river Svartá back to Stóratunga. The ride is round about 12 km long. After lunch, we saddle our horses again and ride in the direction of the highlands. We ride over lava and sand areas all the way up to the waterfall Hrafnabjörg. The ride is round about 16 km long. Altogether, we will spend five to six hours in the saddle.

Riding without the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Stóratunga.

Day 6

After leaving Stóratunga behind, we ride over Landmelar, which is located close to Viðiker, into the region around the lake Myvatn. Jón Þorkelsson, who was famous for guiding travellers through the “culprit-desert” all the way to Askja, lived in Viðiker in the 19^th century. On this day, the way leads across sandhills and heathland. A breathtaking view awaits us when reaching the highest spot of Engidalur. In good weather, we might be able to see all the way to Heiðubreið, the queen of the Icelandic mountains. After three to four hours of riding, we arrive at the farm and hotel Stöng. We leave our horses there and drive back to Grýtubakki for the night. In the afternoon, you are welcome to relax in our local swimming pool.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 7

From Stöng, we ride by a deserted farm called Hörgsdalur in direction south. A diverse landscape with soft riding tracks awaits us. On our righthand side, we once again have the chance to look across the wonderful nature surrounding the lake Myvatn. On day six, we will spend round about six hours riding. The horses will stay on a big field of the farm Akrar, which is located in the valley Reykjadalur. After bidding our horses goodbye, we drive back to Grýtubakki.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 8

After breakfast, we bid our guests farewell and take them back to Akureyri.

 

 

 

MELRAKKASLÉTTA (18. Juli 2023)

Day 1

In the late afternoon, we are going to pick-up the guests from Akureyri and bring them to our farm Grýtubakki. After dinner, we familiarise our guests with the course of the riding tour. Overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 2

After breakfast, we drive to the farm Akrar, which is located in the valley Reykjadalur. There, we saddle our horses and follow the herd, through diverse surroundings, over the mound Hvammsheiði all the way to Heiðarbót. Our horses will stay there overnight, while we drive back to Grýtubakki.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 3

Back in Heiðarbót, we saddle our horses and ride alongside the valley Geldingardalur towards Reykjaheiði, a beautiful heathland up to 400 meters aloft. In former times, the area was very important as it connects the region Reykjahverfi, which is close to Húsavík, and Kelduhverfi, which is located at the Fjord Öxarfjörður. We leave our horses at the farm Ingveldarstaðir and spend the night in Lundur.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay in Lundur.

Day 4

On the fourth day, we ride from Ingveldarstaðir to the farm Klifshagi. On our way, we can spot the Fjord Oxarfjörður and the canyon Ásbyrgi, which is shaped like the imprint of a hoof. According to the legend, it’s an imprint of a hoof of Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse of the god Oðin. We cross the bridge over the glacier river Jökulsá á Fjöllum, one of Iceland’s most impressive rivers. The horses will stay the night on a field at the farm Klifshagi, while we drive back to Lundur.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay in Lundur.

Day 5

On day five, we spend our time exploring the surroundings of Klifshagi by enjoying two rides without the herd. In the morning, we ride to the place where the river Jökulsá meets the Öxarfjörður. Black sand greets us as well as a breathtaking view over the fjord all the way to the tiny island Mánáreyjar and the step cliffs of Tjörnes. After a lunch break in Lundur, we spend the afternoon riding further up the mound behind the farm Klifshagi. Again, we can enjoy a wonderful view over the fjord and the peninsula Melrakkaslétta.

Riding without the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Lundur.

Day 6

We leave Klifshagi and follow the herd over the heathland Öxarfjarðarheiði, the connection between Öxarfjörður and Þistilfjörður. In former times, many people were farming in this area, but all farms are deserted nowadays. The horses will stay at the farm Hagaland, while we spend the night in Svalbarð, which is a school that is used as a “sleeping bag-accommodation” during the summer months, when the school is closed for the summer holidays. Next to it, we find an information centre about leader sheep. It is definitely worth a visit! On day six, we will also make a detour to the local swimming pool.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Svalbarð.

Day 7

We spend out last riding day exploring the surroundings of Svalbarð. We follow diverse paths through the valley Garðsdalur to the mountain Flautafell. In the afternoon, the bus drives us back to Grýtubakki.

Riding without the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 8

After breakfast, we bid our guests farewell and take them back to Akureyri.

 

 

 

LANGANES (29. Juli 2023)

Day 1

In the late afternoon, we are going to pick-up the guests from Akureyri and bring them to our farm Grýtubakki. After dinner, we familiarise our guests with the course of the riding tour. Overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 2-6

Starting from the farm Hagaland, near Þórshöfn, we spend the time exploring the beautiful peninsula Langanes.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Svalbað.

Day 7

After spending the last day exploring the peninsula Langanes, we drive back to Grýtubakki.

Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 8

After breakfast, we bid our guests farewell and take them back to Akureyri.

 

 

MELRAKKASLÉTTA (9. August 2023)

Day 1

In the late afternoon, we are going to pick-up the guests from Akureyri and bring them to our farm Grýtubakki. After dinner, we familiarise our guests with the course of the riding tour. Overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 2

After breakfast, we drive all the way to the fjord Þistilfjörður. Our destination is the accomodation Svalbað, which is located close to Þórshöfn. There is an information center about leader sheep right next to the accommodation, which is definitely worth a visit! After settling in, we drive to the farm Hagaland, where our horses spent some time to rest. We spent the rest of the first riding day exploring the surroundings of Svalbarð. We follow diverse paths through the valley Garðsdalur to the mountain Flautafell.

Riding without the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Svalbarð.

Day 3

We leave Svalbað and follow the herd over the heathland Öxarfjarðarheiði, the connection between Öxarfjörður and Þistilfjörður. In former times, many people were farming in this area, but all farms are deserted nowadays. Our destination for the day is the farm Klifshagi. Our horses will stay there overnight, while we drive on to Lundur. There, you are welcome to relax in the local swimming pool.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Lundur.

Day 4

On the fourth day, we ride from Klifshagi to the farm Ingveldarstaðir. On our way, we can spot the Fjord Oxarfjörður and the canyon Ásbyrgi, which is shaped like the imprint of a hoof. According to the legend, it’s an imprint of a hoof of Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse of the god Oðin. We cross the bridge over the glacier river Jökulsá á Fjöllum, one of Iceland’s most impressive rivers. We drive back to Lundur, while our horses spend the night at Ingveldarstaðir.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Lundur.

Day 5

From Ingveldarstaðir, we ride towards Reykjaheiði, a beautiful heathland up to 400 meters aloft. In former times, the area was very important as it connects the region Reykjahverfi, which is close to Húsavík, and Kelduhverfi, which is located at the Fjord Öxarfjörður. After riding through the valley Geldingardalur, we reach the farm Heiðarbót. We leave the horses there overnight and drive back to Grýtubakki.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 6

After breakfast, we drive back to Heiðarbót. We saddle our horses and ride over the mound Hvammsheiði in direction Laxármýri. There, we can enjoy a beautiful view over the by Skjálfandi, which is close to Húsavík. After a while, we reach our destination: the farm Sandur. After a small break, we saddle our horses again and ride without the herd over soft sand beaches, just beneath the lava region Aðaldalshraun. We return to Sandur and leave the horses there for the night, while we drive back to Grýtubakki.

Riding with and without the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 7

Back in Sandur, we saddle our horses and follow the herd alongside the river Skjálfandaflót and through the forest Fellsskógur. The forest is one of Iceland’s greatest birch forests and part of a 22.000 ha big nature reserve. We arrive at Fremstafell, our final destination, in the late afternoon. After bidding our horses good buy, we drive back Grýtubakki.

Riding with the herd. Dinner and overnight stay at Grýtubakki.

Day 8

After breakfast, we bid our guests farewell and take them back to Akureyri.