Tour 6A – The Beach Ride

For experienced riders

Experience the extraordinary, the volcanic beach, the river banks and islands of the Ölfusá delta and great views! We take the horses in the trailer to the small fishing town Thorlákshöfn where we start the tour with a ride on the long, black beach. We follow the scenic beach along the surf of the North Atlantic for a few kilometers, riding on soft black lava sand until we reach the beautiful area where the mighty glacial river Ölfusá meets the sea in a large delta. We then continue through shallow water at the edge of the river delta and ride on grassy river banks, along wetlands and meadows towards the farmland in the Ölfus area, where our farm Vellir is located. On our way we have plenty of opportunity to try the smooth gait of the Icelandic horse “tölt” on nice trails in beautiful scenery which seems to be far from civilization, and enjoy spectacular views of mountains and the volcanos Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull, weather permitting. We also have good chances to see sea- and wetland birds of various kinds living in the Flói Bird Reserve between the ocean shore and the river. After we have reached the old cemetery at Arnarbæli we ride along the river Gljúfurá and pastures with grazing horses back to Eldhestar.

The tour can also start at Vellir and end at Thorlákshöfn, depending on tides. During the tour you will take a break on a scenic spot to enjoy a light lunch out in nature.

Mininum number of participants are 2 people.

Availability

15th of May – 15th of September

Duration

4,5 – 5,5 hours riding with breaks

Departure times

Daily at 09:00. Pick-up in Reykjavík at 08:00. The pick-up in Hafnarfjörður, Mosfellsbær and Kópavogur starts at 7:45.

Return to Reykjavík around 17:15.

Included

English speaking guide, riding and safety equipment, raingear if the weather calls for it and hotel pick-up.

4.5 – 5.5 hours riding with stops (ca. 23 km), lunchbox (sandwich, cookies, water bottle, special sandwiches available on request) and coffee/tea/hot chocolate and home baked cake after the tour.

BOOT

What to bring

Sturdy shoes, good sneakers or hiking boots that are not very broad are fine.

Comfortable pants (riding pants are not necessary).

Gloves and a thin hat under the helmet (“buff” is well suited). You can buy a “buff” at Eldhestar.

Warm clothes in layers (long underwear, woollen socks, scarf, gloves, woollen sweater or fleece, wind- and waterproof jacket). Eldhestar provides good rain gear.

If you would like to bring small items such as a camera you should bring a small waist bag, backpacks cannot be taken on horseback.

For summer days, we recommend sun lotion, sunglasses and a fly net. You can buy a fly net at Eldhestar.

On rainy days and during the winter season, we recommend bringing extra clothing such as socks, gloves and hat in case you get wet during the ride.

You might experience temperatures close to 0°C as well as”T-shirt weather”, please be prepared! You find more information about climate in Iceland here.

Notes

The weight limit for participants is 110 kg(242lbs).

The minimum age for this tour is 12 years old.

This tour is for experienced riders who ride regularly and are capable of controlling a horse in all gaits in different terrain. If you do not consider yourself an intermediate, strong intermediate or an advanced rider, please choose a different tour instead.

The tour is subject to weather conditions and might be changed. The tour can also be ridden in the opposite direction, depending on tides.

Minimum number of participants is 2 people.