5 jours de séjour équestre Sentier de l’Espoir (été) à Vatnsdalur, Islande

Itinerary

Day 1: Reykjavík - Hvammur - Vatnsdalur - Sveinsstaðir

Pick up at 8:30 a.m. at BSÍ bus station. Please be ready at the earliest pickup time and be ready in your riding clothes. Transfer by bus from Reykjavík to Hvammur Farm, where you meet horses and guides. You start your ride through Vatnsdalur valley. This beautiful valley is the setting of the Vatnsdæla-Saga. Your ride ends at Sveinsstaðir Farm and you return to Hvammur Farm for your overnight stay.

• Distance: Approximately 14 kilometers

Day 2: Hvammur - Sveinsstaðir - Hóp - Borgarvirki - Þverá - Hvítserkur

You leave Sveinsstaðir Farm and ride alongside the lagoon Hóp. The black sand at the beach is ideal for riding tölt, the special gait of the Icelandic horse. This trail along the shore gives you an idea of the beautiful lagoon you are going to cross tomorrow. You ride along the banks of Víðidalsá River and cross over it. You take a break at Stóra-Borg where your lunch break is and drive to Borgarvirki, a fascinating fortress from the Viking ages.

Then you continue your ride to the sheep pen Þverárétt. Local farmers use it to sort the sheep in the autumn. Before returning to the guesthouse, you take another excursion to the shore where you see Hvítserkur, a basalt rock formation, a nesting place for many seabirds. This area is home to large numbers of seals and hopefully, you can see many of them resting and playing on the beach. You spend the night again at Hammur Farm.

• Distance: Approximately 30 kilometers

Day 3: Hvammur - North Atlantic - Thingeyrar

Today, you explore the beauty of the Vatnsnes peninsula and follow black dunes on Sigríðarstaðasandur towards the North-Atlantic. You have your lunch break on top of the ridge Nesbjörg where you enjoy the great view. Today you cross the lagoon Lake Hóp and follow a safe trail through the water on your way to Thingeyrar Farm, once the site of a monastery founded in the 12th century. For sure this day is one of the highlights of this ride. Relax in the outdoor hot tub at Hvammur Farm before a hearty dinner.

• Distance: Approximately 40 kilometers

Day 4: Hvammur - Thingeyrar - Húnavatn - Hvammur

You start the day with a visit to the historic Thingeyrar Church. This is your last day of riding and you bring the horses back to Hvammur Farm. You cross Lake Húnavatn on a saved trail in the water and enjoy the excitement of the horses once they have returned to the black sand on dry land. You ride on the eastern side of Vatnsdalur valley, past Hvammsfoss waterfall, surrounded by impressive basalt columns. Celebrate the successful return in the evening with a great farewell dinner.

• Distance: Approximately 25 kilometers

Day 5: Hvammur - Reykjavík

It is time to say goodbye to your guides and drive back to Reykjavík - approximately arrive at 12:30 p.m. in Reykjavík BSÍ.

About the program

Íslandshestar reserves the right to alter the itinerary if necessary. This holiday is an ideal opportunity for everyone who wants to enjoy an exceptional ride in different types of landscapes. You ride through diverse nature and get an excellent insight into Icelandic history when listening to stories from the Saga ages. Riding the horses on smooth sandy grounds is a joy for the rider and his mount. There is plenty of time to enjoy the unique gait “tölt” while exploring nature and the history of this outstanding area.

You start the ride at Hvammur Farm in Vatnsdalur Valley. It is a thrilling experience riding on the black sandy beaches, through rivers, fields, and the great lagoon called Lake Hóp (e. Hope). A visit to a seal colony on the North-Atlantic coast and the majestic Hvítserkur monolith is a wonderful thing to see. The well-known farmer Haukur Suska, his family, and the wonderful staff at Hvammur farm operate this program. The maximum weight for a rider is 110 kilograms / 242 pounds.

The Icelandic horse

The breed is best known for its four-beat smooth gait, the “tölt”, which is very comfortable for the rider, especially on a longer tour. Riding an Icelandic horse in its native habitat land is an authentic riding experience. Herding along free running horses is the traditional way of traveling in Iceland since horses are changed at least once a day on longer tours. You get to ride a variety of horses. The tack used for Icelandic horses is slightly different than the tack ordinarily used for other breeds.

The saddle is built close to a dressage saddle and has a relatively flat seat. Saddles come with plain or quilted seats. On longer rides, a crupper helps keep the saddle in place. The riding style used on Icelandic horses is close to the English riding style, but stirrups are worn long. The bits used are mostly simple snaffles. Bridles have a detachable noseband and clip-on reins.