Windswept

Monochrome

WIND, WIND, MORE WIND…

A TREK TO HESTALAND

Hestaland, an equestrian centre, is the place to go for riding and learning how to train an Icelandic horse. They also have knitting and riding weeks, riding treks, and a week of photography and riding, which is the week I attended. I think at one time they even had a writing and riding week. Accommodations are clean and welcoming and the food provided is of gourmet quality, in my opinion, and everyone else's!

While I didn't ride on this workshop, I enjoyed having time to myself to review images and to read and just enjoy being on the property.

Gudmar Petursson, the owner of Hestaland along with his wife, Christina, is one of the top trainers in Iceland and has an international reputation as one of the best ambassadors for the Icelandic breed. The horses are calm and accepting, and there is a quiet energy about the herd. Nice to feel safe in a field of 70 horses and not worry about being run over!

This is my second trip to Iceland, and adding a few days on either end of the trip was a great way to be able to walk around Reykjavík and explore. I had to laugh though because one of the participants called my hotel ‘posh’ and I realized why because when I went back to check on pricing, it was $1800 US for two nights. As I had purchased lots of time beforehand, my pricing was less than $600 so posh it was and also a treat! I love a good sale!

If you are planning to visit iceland, I recommend booking early as it can be expensive. Food is a bit on the pricey side as well. I enjoyed my $26 (US) hotdog and it did not include French fries! When I was there in 2015, gas was $10 US a gallon. I wasn’t brave enough to look this time.

You know you are in Iceland when the bus driver casually mentions there was an eruption that morning, and to look out the bus window on the right to see it! And we did!