Touch of the Highlands Ride Starring Warwick Schiller

After breakfast at this charming, valley-perched mountain hut, you’ll prepare for another adventurous day. Leaving the peaceful Galtará and the stillness of the highlands behind, you’ll follow wide riding trails that allow for endless tölting. Depending on the weather, you may even be able to pick crowberries, the aromatic wild thymian, or the healthy Iceland moss.

As you descend from Eyvindarstaðaheiði further into the Svartárdalur valley, you will see your destination: the corral Stafnsrétt, where the sheep are collected every autumn. Your horses will rest here for the night, while you, Warwick and your fellow globetrotters are driven back to the cottages.

After being transported back out to Stafnsrétt this morning, you’ll be reunited with the herd and begin the journey towards home. The paths alternate between soft riding trails that are perfect for tölting and more challenging, rugged terrain. You’ll gasp in amazement at the horses’ strength and stamina as they climb across rocky mountainsides. With his long legs, Warwick might have to watch his feet on the uphill! From the mountain pass Kiðaskarð, you’ll be able to catch one last glimpse of the faraway highlands and the majestic glaciers – just a peek into the stunning natural wonderland this country has on offer.

You’ll continue your descent towards the pen Mælifellrétt, which you might remember from the lunch break on the second day. The horses will stay here while your group heads back to your comfortable cottages to wait in anticipation for the last exciting riding day to come.

It’s time for a good dose of history, globetrotters, because after breakfast you’re visiting Glaumbær, where you’ll see how Icelanders lived many years ago. Then it’s time to saddle the horses for the last time. With their heads turned for home, it will be a fast and exciting ride. On the way, you’ll stop for lunch at Stokkhólmi farm. Now you’re in for a real treat: having perfected the art of riding the tölt, with the expert help of skilled instructors and well-trained pacing horses, you’ll get to experience the famous ‘flying pace’!

Finally, you’ll ride back to the stables at Vindheimamelar, were you’ll say a VERY sad farewell to the trusty Icelandic mounts who have carried you on this incredible journey and allowed you to witness Warwick’s amazing horsemanship firsthand. Then it’s back to the cottages, where a final feast awaits. To finish the ride off in true Icelandic style, you can jump into the stone hot tub, sit back and reminisce about the incredible memories you’ve made in the Icelandic Highlands.

After breakfast, you’ll say goodbye to your wonderful guides and hosts, who will undoubtedly have become lifelong friends. Then you’ll be transferred back to Reykjavik via private bus, no doubt raving with Warwick about the unforgettable memories you now share.

Departing flights home can be anytime after 8pm this evening, or you might like to spend another night in Reykjavik.

The Icelandic horse is a unique breed of smallish horse that came to Iceland with the first settlers from Norway 1,100 years ago. Archeological digs in Europe have revealed that the breed is a descendant of an ancient breed that is now extinct outside of Iceland.

The Icelandic, as it is commonly referred to, is known for being sure-footed and able to navigate rough terrain with ease. It displays two gaits in addition to the typical walk, trot, and canter/gallop commonly displayed by other breeds. The first additional gait is a four-beat lateral ambling gait called the tölt. The tölt is known for its explosive acceleration and speed; it is also comfortable and ground-covering. The breed also performs a pace called skeið, or “flying pace”. Skeið is used in pacing races, and is fast and smooth, with some horses able to reach speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour. It is not a gait for long-distance travel. The Icelandic horse comes in almost every imaginable colour, and the Icelandic language includes more than 100 names for the various coat colours and patterns.

The Icelandic breed is extremely popular internationally, and for good reason: you need to ride these horses to understand. A sizeable population exists in Europe and North America, but NOTHING beats riding Icelandic horses in their natural habitat. In their native country, they have few diseases; as a result, Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported, and exported animals are not allowed to return. In Iceland, the breed continues to be used for farm work in addition to showing, racing and recreational riding.