Iceland review - 2019, Síða 98

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Iceland Review
Krauma is a natural geothermal bath & spa at Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot
spring. The cold water comes from Ok, Iceland’s smallest glacier.
Krauma oers five relaxing natural geothermal
baths, a cold tub, two steambaths and a relaxation
room where you can rest by the fireplace.
+354 555 6066
www.krauma.is
Deildartunguhver, 320 Reykholt
EXPERIENCE NATURE FROM ITS CORE
Reykjavík
Borgarnes
Þingvellir
At Krauma Restaurant you can enjoy Icelandic cuisine with
emphasis on fresh ingredients from local farms. Relax with
the spectacular view of Europe's most powerful hot spring.
Krauma is located at Deildartunguhver, a
97 km (60 miles) drive from Reykjavík.
Krauma-200x300mm-bleed2.pdf 1 3/27/2018 2:35:55 PM
one or two days before they get lost in the Digranes
fog again.” Before we know it, the hunters are off.
Today, Siggi is guiding Þorsteinn from South Iceland,
and Miroslav from the Czech Republic. The tracks of
their six-wheelers are the only sign of human activity.
We hike along the peninsula, coming upon the tracks
every now and then, in between marshes, mounds,
and lakes. Reindeer moss crunches below our every
step. Camouflaged men disappear quickly in a world of
brown, grey, and a hundred shades of green. At first,
it feels like you’re all alone in the world. A few more
hours up on that heath and I realise how wrong I was.
Rock ptarmigans, whooper swans, great northern
divers, golden plovers. The wilderness is brimming
with life, but unfortunately for the hunters, there’s no
reindeer. The hunt in Digranes was unsuccessful.
Control, delete. No alternatives
You don’t just jump in your car, drive east of Jökulsá
and start shooting reindeer. For one thing, the rein-
deer are meticulously counted each year. A guide has
to accompany hunters, pointing out which animal the
shooter should go for. Each hunter receives a permit
for an animal of a specific sex, and the reindeer have
to have reached maturity. Since 2011, it has been
illegal to hunt calves. In Norway, hunters kill the calf
along with their fallen mother. Strict rules are in place
for the hunting season, which runs from July 15 to
September 20. This isn’t to protect the species: once
mating season begins the hormonal stink of the stags
makes them inedible. East Iceland is split into hunting
zones. Permits are released each year, with the aim of
thinning the herds and ensuring that the population
is sustainable – with the correct age and sex ratio.
The East Iceland Nature Research Centre handles the
monitoring of the population while the Environment
Agency of Iceland handles the hunters and issuing of
permits. Worldwide, reindeer are considered a vulner-
able species according to the International Union for
Conservation of Nature. However, they’re not consid-
ered vulnerable in Europe. In Iceland, the species is
not considered endangered as it was imported to the
country, essentially an invasive species.
Cut to the chase
6:43. After the missed shot earlier, we’re on the chase.
Every now and then, we catch a glimpse of the herd,
who are heading for greener pastures, away from the
bleak rock. Clear skies and fair weather are on our
side. Siggi barks orders to the men, sending them left,
right, and centre. Tensions run high. Still, everything
comes to a stop, as nature calls for the main man.
“Sometimes I’m with some fools who have no clue what
they’re doing. You almost have to think for them, tell-
“How many reindeer do you think these
hands have bloodied? 1400.”