Iceland review - 2016, Page 84

82 ICELAND REVIEW
COMING ROUND THE MOUNTAIN
For centuries, sheep and horses in
Iceland have been driven into highland
pastures to roam free and feed on grass
and wild herbs in the summer. Come
autumn, farmers round them up on foot,
horseback, or—more recently—ATVs,
in an activity known as göngur. This may
take days, depending on how deep into
the highlands the herds have wandered.
The animals are then driven back
down from the mountains and into a
special pen. This is known as réttir. It’s a
sight to behold when hundreds, or even
thousands, of shaggy, mostly white sheep,
pour down the mountainside, and multi-
color horses, running wild with flowing
manes. Inside the packed pen, the farm-
ers identify their animals and place them
in separate compartments.
From early September to early
October, approximately 200 rét-
tir are held across the country. The
Increasingly becoming a tourist attraction,
réttir, roundups of sheep and horses, remain an
authentic autumn countryside celebration.
BY EYGLÓ SVALA ARNARSDÓTTIR. PHOTO BY PÁLL STEFÁNSSON.
largest roundups of sheep include:
Þverárréttir in Borgarfjörður, West
Iceland; Tungnaréttir in Biskupstungur,
and Landréttir by Áfangagil, South
Iceland; Silfrastaðaréttir in Blönduhlíð
and Auðkúlurétt by Svínavatn, North
Iceland; and, of horses, Laufskálarétt in
Hjaltadalur, North Iceland.
The spectacle has turned into a major
tourist attraction, yet réttir remain
Iceland’s most authentic countryside fes-
tival. It’s a joyous celebration, complete
with coffee and cakes—or something
stronger—during the day and often a
concert and dance, known as réttarball, in
the evening.
Information on réttir dates and loca-
tions are published on bbl.is. A second
réttir usually takes place in each location
to roundup any sheep that became sepa-
rated from the herd. Consult with local
farmers on dates. u