Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.05.2010, Blaðsíða 35

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KEFLAVÍK
BORGARNES
STYKKISHÓLMUR
SNÆFELLSJÖKULL
DRANGAJÖKULL
FLATEY
NESKAUPSTAÐUR
BLÖNDUÓS
SIGLUFJÖRÐUR
BOLUNGARVÍK
HRÍSEY
NARSARSSUAQ
Greenland
FAROE ISLANDS
REYKJAVÍK
AKUREYRI
EGILSSTAÐIR
VESTMANNAEYJAR
ÍSAFJÖRÐUR
VOPNAFJÖRÐUR
ÞÓRSHÖFN
HÚSAVÍK
GRÍMSEY
KULUSUK
Greenland
Blue Lagoon
AKRANES Geysir
Gullfoss
Jökullónið
Kárahnjúkar
Krafla
Hallormstaður
NUUK
Greenland
ILULISSAT
Greenland
www.airiceland.is
CONSTABLE POINT
Greenland
Trip provided by Íshestar.
Booking: +(354) 555 7000 or check the website www.ishestar.is.
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 05 — 2010
Travel | Horsies
You’d think from the looks of these
dwarfen beasts that they’d be meek
and mild, happy to carry a hobbit
off on an adventure into Iceland’s
fairytale landscape. At least, this is
what I had in mind when I stepped
into the Íshestar stables. The reality
was somewhat different.
Horse tales
One of my misconceptions was
cleared up as soon as I walked out
into the paddock full of Icelandic
horses (don’t call them ponies). Their
stocky bodies and very soft fur might
seem cute from afar, but they’re
larger than they seem, and power-
ful. Anna Buhl, one of the Íshestar
guides, told me that the bigger ani-
mals can hold up to 110 kg. Thanks
to their hardiness, Icelandic horses
have prospered for over 1000 years
since early settlers introduced the
breed to Iceland. From then until
now, horse import has been virtu-
ally unheard of, and was officially
banned in 1882 to prevent disease
from entering the country. This has
also ensured that other horse breeds
haven’t found their way into the ge-
netic stock, so the Icelandic horse
has retained its unique traits.
Icelandic horses are also special
because they can travel at five differ-
ent gaits, Anna informed me, includ-
ing the tölt, a walking-trotting-like
gait. Over the two-hour “Lava Tour”,
my group did little of the famous tölt,
though I had wanted to try it.
On the upside, the ride was still
great for beginners and those in the
mood for a leisurely ride. The lava-
covered landscape and the volcano
it surrounded, Mt. Helgafell, were
spectacular no matter what the pace.
But the horses themselves were
most interesting to me. Just as I
had imagined, they are placid with
humans, but I was surprised how
playful they were with each other.
In the pen as our horseback riding
group was preparing to disembark,
one was engaging in some sort of ear
nibbling, a second was leaning its
butt obtrusively into another, and a
couple was walking in an endless cir-
cle of bum biting. One of the girls at
the stable confirmed that the horses
were playing, not fighting. If one of
them did get hurt in a rare tussle, she
told me, you would hear about it from
across the farm, and the aggressor
would immediately stop.
Anna laughed as she and I
watched the horses getting rowdy
amongst themselves: “If you have a
horse and you’ve been riding, and
you take it to the paddock, it can be,
like, crazy.”
But Icelandic horses are sweet na-
tured in general, and respond well to
humans. “They are very good-heart-
ed,” Anna told me. “A lot of them are
very calm. Loyal.”
A bumpy beginning
Unfortunately, my group’s introduc-
tion to riding was short and didn’t
include much about horse social sig-
nals. I would also have liked to learn
more about how to ride. One of the
guides gave me a whip, informing
me my horse, Skvísa, was sometimes
lazy. I should tap her butt to speed
her up if digging my heels into her
sides didn’t work. This was pretty
much all the instruction we received,
aside from “hold on”. With this level
of horse education I felt a tad ridicu-
lous, like a princess being carried
in a litter on the back of an elephant
with no knowledge about anything
going on below.
Discomforts to come prepared for
As with most tourist trips in Iceland,
to enjoy this trip you should dress
warmly. Granted, my hands turn to
ice at the slightest wisp of cold air.
But two hours of sitting outdoors on
a moving Icelandic horse will chill
even the warmest-handed.
Thankfully, Íshestar took care of
all the other accoutrements. In the
stable change room we had our pick
of rubber boots, sturdy rain jackets
and rain pants and, of course, riding
helmets. I completely tricked myself
out and was glad I did, even though
it didn’t rain. Despite the multiple
sweaters and jacket I had wrapped
myself in beforehand, these outer
layers helped to cut the wind. And
the rubber boots allowed me to walk
on horse poop with abandon.
But even multiple waterproof lay-
ers can’t prevent the ass pain. For
the next couple days afterwards be
prepared to have bruised bum bones.
That being said, I found I was actu-
ally kind of proud of my bruises. It’s
like having hurting legs after a par-
ticularly strenuous run, or like hav-
ing war scars, except that you do no
work to acquire them. You just spend
the afternoon and 57 Euro pretend-
ing you’re a hobbit riding your trusty
steed into the great Icelandic un-
known.
The Grapevine Takes A Tour
On Icelandic Horseback
STEPHANIE ORFORD
JuLIA STAPLES
It was early evening by the time we
descended into Djúpidalur valley after
spending a successful day weaving in and
out of Iceland’s most spectacular West
fjords. We arrived at a cluster of red-roofed
houses where a man and a couple of
toddlers in a tractor were driving hay to the
barn.
This was definitely our destination.
Djúpidalur, located at 65° 35,073'N by 22°
16,990'W, is home to an entire population
of four: Leifur Samúelsson, his wife Guðrún
Samúelsdóttir, and their two kids. Of course,
that isn’t counting their sheep, which brings
the population up to 454.
Shortly after we parked the car, Guðrún
emerged from the barn to greet us and
show us to a house between the barn and
their house. It was a spacious two-story
accommodation, equipped with a kitchen, a
dining room and four bedrooms.
Farmhouse lodging is typically either
part of a farmer’s house or in a separate
annex. Either way, they make for an
incredible opportunity to get a taste of
countryside life and the idyllic setting
without the backbreaking labour.
After unloading our stuff, we walked
over to the barn to chat with Leifur and
Guðrún who were feeding their sheep. In
one week’s time, they were expecting 640
lambs and soon after that the sheep would
be off to graze freely in the valley all summer
long.
Leifur and Guðrún have lived together in
Djúpidalur for five years. Despite its remote
location, Guðrún says they can always get
to where they want. It didn’t seem to bother
her that the nearest grocery store was 45
kilometres away in Reykhólar.
This brings me to another point about
farmhouse hopping in the West fjords.
Namely, gas and grocery stores are few
and far between (especially when you need
them). So, fuel up in every way possible
when you have the chance. A night on a
farmhouse is simply not the same without
cooking a big feast. After dinner, an evening
is well spent exploring the ins and outs of
the fjord or even taking a warm bath in a
geothermal pool.
Call in advance, especially during the busy
summer months. Expect to pay around 3,000
ISK to 3,500 ISK per bed. This road trip was
made possible by Hertz Car Rental, who
provided us with a car.
Travel | Accommodation
Spending The Night
With A Farmer
Farm hopping in the West fjords
ANNA ANDERSEN