
5 minute read
Travel: Across the Icelandic Highlands
TRAVEL
Across the Icelandic Highlands
If the idea of a Nordic adventure on horseback sends excitement singing through your veins, MATHILDE GREGOIRE has the perfect holiday for you.
What’s your idea of freedom? Traveling 450 kilometres with a herd of 50 horses across the Icelandic Highlands might be the closest I ever got to mine. Sounds like your idea of heaven? Then let me take you on an eight day journey across the land of fire and ice – through the ears of a courageous and spirited Icelandic horse.
We arrived at Hekluhestar on a bright summer day. Located two hours south of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, this second generation family farm is home to over 80 horses and spans hundreds of acres.
Our accommodation for the duration of the adventure is in various traditional Icelandic shepherd huts, and we’ll be sharing this once-in-alifetime experience with a group of 15 experienced riders. At dinner, each person is matched with three horses who will carry them throughout the journey. In this part of the world, the sun doesn’t set in summer, which makes anticipation for the start of the adventure the following day even more exciting.
For many, riding an Icelandic horse is a new experience and a chance to discover the tölt, a naturally fluid lateral pace where at least one of the hooves is always in contact with the ground. This comfortable gait, which our horses generously give us over long distances, makes the start of the trip remarkably smooth. Agile and strong, Icelandic horses are sure footed and confident even over rough volcanic terrain. These little pocket rockets can cross rivers, climb mountains, and gallop around glaciers and volcanoes while effortlessly carrying their riders.
As we cross shallow rivers and ride through grass fields, leaving the farm behind, we catch a glimpse of the stratovolcano Hekla, one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Iceland. Riding in its direction, the herd senses the excitement and picks up the pace. The more experienced horses lead the way – they know what awaits them: lush




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pastures, a deliciously refreshing glacier stream, and a well-deserved roll at the end of a long day.
On the second day, we are assigned a new horse. We cross Solvahraun, a desert of volcanic ash and lava fields, before stopping for a lunch break when we unsaddle the horses and give them the hay and minerals delivered by a support vehicle that meets us at designated stops throughout the trek.
The following day takes us to Ljótipollur, the iconic explosion crater and lake, before arriving in a geothermal oasis where riders relax and enjoy the hot springs with a cold Icelandic beer. When we reach Landmannalaugar, with its colourful rhyolite mountains and lava fields, the horses get some hay and a well-deserved rest. The next few days are rhythm intensive as we gallop through the black sand and green mountains of Maelifellsandur, enjoying the views of the Myrdalsjokull glacier in the background. Finally we arrive at a picturesque shepherd’s hut overlooking Eyjafjallajökull, an impressive volcano covered by a large glacier, which infamously erupted in 2010, throwing volcanic ash into the atmosphere and forcing European skies to be closed to air traffic for a few weeks.
The remaining days leave us with the bittersweet taste of nostalgia as we slowly return to civilization. Encountering several concrete roads, the sound of 50 horses’ hooves striking the ground is like music to our ears. Volcanic ash fields turn into pasture as we get closer to nearby towns and local farms. The herd is obviously excited to get home, and we can feel a boost in energy and pace from the horses. Our incredible adventure finishes on the eighth day with a long gallop, followed by a scenic river crossing before arriving back at Hekluhestar farm.
Travelling with the herd
dictates the pace. A few riders at the front ensure that no horse gets passed them, while the riders at the back make sure no one gets left behind. The remaining riders and loose horses are spread out in the middle, following the direction and pace of the herd.
Traveling with a herd means each person can ride different horses throughout the day, allowing our trek to continue at a sustained pace while giving the horses that have been ridden plenty of time to recover. Most of the Hekluhestar horses are born on the farm and are part of the same herd. A few younger horses also join in on the adventure, and although they are not ridden this experience is a great way for them to train for endurance as they learn respect, herd dynamics, and a few other life lessons along the way.
Visit hekluhestar.is for more information about a riding holiday in Iceland, and for more on Icelandic horses in Australia, go to icelandhorse.com.au and icelandichorseassociationaustralia.org.au.

