A Journey Through West Iceland
Trail of Legends is a six-day Riding Journey for experienced riders, travelling with a free-running herd through the historic landscapes of West Iceland.
Starting at Stóri-Kálfalækur farm, we travel from one destination to the next through Mýrar and Borgarfjörður, following a continuous route of almost 170 kilometres before reaching Geldingaá near the coast.
Each day takes us further on our Journey. The horses remain where the day’s riding ends and, the following morning, we rejoin them and continue from where we left off. While the horses travel onwards, we return each evening to Fossatún, our home throughout the Journey.
The route builds gradually towards our longest riding day, when we cover around 40 kilometres from Heggstaðir to Geldingaá. The following morning brings a very different finale: a final ride across the wide sands of Melabakkar beach.
Trail of Legends is a Journey through the countryside and history of West Iceland – six days travelling with the herd from the farms of Mýrar through Borgarfjörður and all the way to the Atlantic coast.
Day 1 – Stóri-Kálfalækur →Grímsstaðir · approximately 27 km
Our Journey begins at Stóri-Kálfalækur farm, where we meet the horses and prepare for the days ahead.
Once everyone is ready, we set out with the herd and begin our Journey through Mýrar. This first day gives riders time to become familiar with the horses, the herd and the way we travel together.
At Grímsstaðir, we leave the horses for the night and transfer back to Fossatún for dinner and our first evening together.
Day 2 – Grímsstaðir to Eskiholt · approximately 20 km
After breakfast at Fossatún, we return to Grímsstaðir, rejoin the horses and continue our Journey through Mýrar towards Eskiholt.
Along the way, we cross the Langá, a 36-kilometre river flowing from Lake Langavatn towards the sea and well known for its salmon fishing. As we approach Eskiholt, we may also encounter one of the area’s herds of Icelandic goats – still a relatively rare sight in Iceland.
At Eskiholt, we leave the horses and return to Fossatún. As this is one of our shorter riding days, there is an opportunity to visit Krauma, where geothermal water from Deildartunguhver feeds a series of warm pools – a particularly welcome way to relax after two days in the saddle.
Day 3 – Eskiholt to Brekka · approximately 32 km
We return to Eskiholt after breakfast and set out on one of the longer stages of our Journey, riding more than 30 kilometres deeper into Borgarfjörður.
Our route takes us through the beautiful Jafnaskarð area and alongside Lake Hreðavatn. As we approach Brekka, the landscape is dominated by Grábrók, a large volcanic crater rising above the surrounding moss-covered lava fields.
At Brekka, we settle the horses for the night before transferring back to Fossatún for dinner and a well-earned evening of rest.
Day 4 – Brekka to Heggstaðir · approximately 30 km
After breakfast, we return to Brekka and set out again with the herd.
Early in the day, we cross the Norðurá, one of Iceland’s renowned salmon rivers, which flows through Borgarfjörður from Lake Holtavörðuvatn. Unfortunately, catching salmon from horseback is not part of today’s programme.
Our route brings us back to the Norðurá later in the day. Near Ystatunga and Hvítá, we cross the river again, this time over an old bridge dating from 1928, before continuing towards Heggstaðir.
By now, riders have become familiar with the rhythm of travelling with the herd – changing horses along the way as the landscape unfolds around us.
The horses remain at Heggstaðir overnight while we return to Fossatún.
Day 5 – Heggstaðir to Geldingaá · approximately 40 km
Our longest travelling day takes us from Heggstaðir all the way to Geldingaá.
At around 40 kilometres, this is the most demanding stage of the Journey and a fitting culmination to five consecutive days travelling across West Iceland with the herd.
Today our route brings us towards the coast of Borgarfjörður, riding beneath the impressive mountain Hafnarfjall as we make our way towards Geldingaá.
When we reach Geldingaá, the point-to-point part of our Journey is complete. The horses stay here for the night while we return to Fossatún for our final evening together.
Tomorrow there is nowhere further we need to travel. Instead, we have one final ride to enjoy.
Day 6 – Melabakkar Beach · approximately 20 km
After breakfast at Fossatún, we pack our luggage and prepare a packed lunch before travelling to Geldingaá to meet the horses one last time.
Our final ride takes us onto the wide sands of Melabakkar beach.
With the travelling part of our Journey behind us, today is about enjoying the horses and the extraordinary feeling of riding across the open beach. The timing of the ride is determined by the tides, which reveal the firm sands on which we can ride.
After returning to Geldingaá, we enjoy our packed lunch with the horses before saying goodbye to them and our guides.
From here, we continue to Reykjavík, bringing our six-day Journey through West Iceland to an end.
Please note: The itinerary describes our planned route, but conditions in the Icelandic Highlands can change quickly. Weather, trail conditions and water levels in rivers may require us to adapt the route. Our guides will always make these decisions with the safety and wellbeing of our guests and horses in mind.
The herd is at the heart of Trail of Legends.
Travelling with a free-running herd is one of the great traditions of Icelandic riding. Horses move together through the landscape while riders change horses regularly along the route.
Smaller Groups. Bigger Herds. We deliberately travel with a generous number of horses for the size of the group. This allows riders to change horses regularly and experience their different characters and abilities, while sharing the work between the horses throughout the Journey.
Riding with the herd requires confidence, awareness and good control at different speeds. The pace can be lively, and riders should be comfortable spending several hours in the saddle over consecutive days.
Prior experience riding with a loose herd is not required. Our guides introduce the way we ride and manage the herd along the route.
Trail of Legends is designed for experienced, riding-fit riders who enjoy long days in the saddle and the adventure of travelling across Iceland on horseback.
Over six days, we cover almost 170 kilometres through the varied landscapes of Mýrar and Borgarfjörður. Our route takes us across farmland, along rivers, through valleys and volcanic landscapes, with daily distances ranging from approximately 20 to 40 kilometres.
The riding changes with the terrain. There are opportunities for lively riding and long stretches of tölt where conditions allow, while river crossings and rougher ground require a more measured pace. Travelling with the free-running herd, we change horses regularly throughout the day, experiencing their different characters and abilities.
Some days are longer and more demanding than others, and riders should be confident at all paces, comfortable riding over varied terrain and prepared for several consecutive days in the saddle.
Our final day brings a change of rhythm. With the travelling part of the Journey complete, we leave the herd behind and enjoy one last ride across the wide sands of Melabakkar beach, where the tides determine when we can ride.
Throughout Trail of Legends, Fossatún is our home.
While the horses travel from one destination to the next, we return to Fossatún at the end of each riding day. This allows us to undertake a genuine point-to-point Journey without changing accommodation every night.
Each morning, we have breakfast at Fossatún before transferring back to the horses and continuing our Journey from where we finished the previous day.
After long days in the saddle, returning to a familiar home, a good meal and the same bed becomes an important part of the experience.
Food & Dining
Breakfast and dinner are enjoyed at Fossatún, giving our days a comfortable beginning and end.
During the Journey, lunch is either brought to us along the route where access allows or carried with us when we travel away from the roads.
On our final day, we prepare a packed lunch before leaving Fossatún and enjoy it at Geldingaá after our beach ride – one last meal with the horses before saying goodbye and returning to Reykjavík.
Trail of Legends is about more than the kilometres we cover on horseback.
Travelling through Mýrar and Borgarfjörður gives us time to experience a part of Iceland shaped by farms, horses, history and the people who live there.
Our shorter second riding day creates an opportunity to visit Krauma geothermal baths, relaxing in warm geothermal water after returning from the day’s ride.
Fossatún itself is part of the Journey, providing a home throughout our stay and a place to come together each evening after the horses have been left further along the route.
And on our final day, the landscape becomes part of the riding in an entirely different way as we take the horses onto the sands of Melabakkar for our last ride together.
As always, Beyond the Saddle is not about filling every available hour. It is about having the time to enjoy the places through which we travel.
Arrival & First Ride
Pickup in Reykjavík is at 9:00 on the first day.
Final Day & Return to Reykjavík
Depending on the tides on the last day, e aim to depart around 16:00, arriving back in Reykjavík at approximately 17:30.
Support During the Excursion
Where the route allows, our team meets us at accessible points along the way with supplies and lunch.
At the end of each riding day, transfers are provided back to Fossatún while the horses remain at the day’s destination, ready for us to rejoin them the following morning.
Parts of the Journey may take us away from vehicle access. On these sections, what we need during the riding day travels with us in our saddlebags.
Our luggage remains at Fossatún throughout the Journey, so there is no need to pack and unpack each day.
Maximum weight for a rider is 110kg/242lb.
Riding clothes. Riding gear (riding trousers, jackets, etc.) needs to be washed (40°C) or dry cleaned. Items which can not be washed or dry cleaned (riding boots, riding hats) need to be cleaned and disinfected at least five days prior to arriving in Iceland. The Icelandic Veterinary Authority recommends the broad-spectrum disinfectant Virkon S for disinfection. Used riding gloves, whips, saddles, bridles, chaps and other used leather gear may not be brought into the country.
Kindly note that these precautions are necessary because there are no contagious animal diseases in Iceland. Horses are not vaccinated and are therefore susceptible to infectious agents from abroad. Please help us to protect Iceland’s fragile nature! For further information please take a look at: Import of riding equipment | Matvælastofnun
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