NEW FRONTIER 2025 – PIONEERING ICELAND’S NORTHWEST

Freshly designed for advanced riders who love exploring new angles on Iceland’s beauty, this pioneering 8-riding-day tour will take us through diverse landscapes in the wild west. The trail links the stunning Snæfellsnes and Vatnsnes peninsulas in the northwest of the country – starting in Mýrar Wetland, weaving through a chain of beautiful valleys, and ending by forging Lake Hóp.

We invite you to join us on this fantastic tour! Click here for details.

Our herd will be waiting for us at a paddock nearby Stóri-Kálfalækur, a working farm and guesthouse tucked away on the southern shores of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. We’ll ride through rolling meadows and gentle hills, with views of the region’s iconic volcanic features. Our destination for the day is a remote farm with an antique touch, perched on a mountainside overlooking lush green fields.  

The journey will take us through a stunning chain of valleys: Hraundalur, Langavatnsdalur, Laugardalur and Hordudalur. As we ride, we’ll ford sparkling streams that eventually flow into the deep waters of Lake Langavatn. The valley Hordudalur, our today’s destination, is named after a crew member of one of the settlers, who gave him the valley for his own farm.

We’ll traverse variety of landscapes, before setting our sights on the Haukadalur Valley. While broad, it is also deep enough that the farms on its southern side endure a staggering 25 weeks of winter without a glimpse of the sun. Even so, the trout lake and salmon river add to its timeless allure.

In centuries past, the valley floor was blanketed in lush forests, though only a few trees remain today. Erik the Red lived here at famed Eiríksstaðir until his exile led him to Greenland, where he founded a new settlement. His son, Leif the Lucky, born in Eiríksstaðir, later sailed westward to become the first European to set foot in North America around the year 1000.

We’ll follow Ormsá river (Worm River), which meanders northwards through quiet valleys to Hrútafjörður – Ram’s Fjord. Right in the middle of the fjord sits Hrútey, or Ram Island (yes, the naming theme is strong here!). When we reach Melar, you’ll feel the pioneering spirit of Iceland’s earliest settlers, who braved these remote landscapes – virtually unchanged to this day.

While our horses enjoy the grassy fields of Melar, we’ll spend the night at a nearby community centre – just like local horsemen do when passing through this area. Staying at these community centres is a true slice of Icelandic culture that you’ll get to experience first-hand.

Today’s ride takes us across the windswept moors southeast of Hrútafjörður –  proper stretch of wild, open landscape. For the final few kilometres, we’ll follow the banks of Miðfjarðará, one of the country’s finest salmon rivers. After hours in the saddles, we’ll arrive at Staðarbakki, where our horses will spend the night grazing peacefully in a lush field.

Once we’re back with our horses at Staðarbakki, we’ll cross the Miðfjarðará and set off into a landscape shaped by glaciers, scattered with post-glacial lakes and moraine hills. We’ll ride across the moors to Fitjárdalur, then follow the river Fitjá northward until it meets the Víðidalsá.

Heading north, we’ll spend most of the day riding through the beautiful Víðidalur Valley, following the Víðidalsá as it flows peacefully toward the ocean. Along its way, the river gets entrenched in the stunning Kolugljúfur gorge, home to waterfalls named after the troll Kola.

Our final day’s ride takes us along a loop-shaped trail, beginning and ending at Gottorp, with the grand finale being the crossing of Lake Hóp. This saline lake owes its unique characteristics to its low elevation and the influence of tides. We’ll ford it at Vaðhvammur by Myrkubjörg, making our way towards the stunning sands of Þingeyrar. The water’s depth promises a splashy and joyful experience for the horses. A friendly tip: rubber boots could be quite useful!