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WIZZ MAGAZINE
E
velynKuhneofLýtingsstaðirHorseFarm isone
of threewomen running farmprojects in the
Skagafjörðurarea.A stayatLýtingsstaðiroffersa real,
full-oncultural experience. “Thisarea isvery famous
forhorses,” saysKuhne,whose farmhasover 100of the
noble steeds. “Thereare twiceasmanyhorses living
here thanpeople.”
When theVikingsarrived in Iceland in870AD, they
broughtauniquebreedofhorsewith them–across
betweenaShetlandponyandNorwegian fjordhorse, a
hardyanimal that canwithstandextreme temperatures
as lowas -30°C. “Theyaresmallhorses,but theworst
thingyoucansay toan Icelandichorseowner is that they
ride ‘ponies’.This isveryoffensive,”saysKuhne.Theyare
versatileanimals, sheadds, andverycomfortable toride.
Alongwith trekking in themountainsand fields,
visitorscan, if theywish, tryhorsemeat. “It’sverypure,
organicmeat,”Kuhne says. “The foalsherehavenever
left the farm.Wecook themeat asburgers, steak, gou-
lash–even schnitzel. It’s thebestmeat youcanget.”
Historically, people in Icelandusedeverything from
the land.Then,whenChristianitywas introduced
around1000AD, theywere forbidden toeathorsemeat,
dividing theheathenVikings,whocontinued toeat it,
and thedevoutCatholics. “Peoplewere starving for
centuries, but theywouldnot touchhorsemeat,” says
Kuhne.Now it’seaten freely.Another thinghere that
harksback toancient traditions isLýtingsstaðir’s turf
house, looking rather likeahobbithole, built from
stone, turf and timber. “They last foraround50years
beforeyouneed to rebuildand renew thewalls,”Kuhne
explains. People lived in thesehouses through theages
until the1980s; asKuhne says, “Weare trying topre-
serve these fascinatingold traditions.”
lythorse.com
“Wedon’t look
at the foalsand
think theyare
cute;we think,
‘youaregoing
tobe schnitzel’”
NORTH
Dosanddon’tsonIceland’smagiccircle
Do:
Leaveyourselfaroundaweektodriverouteone.Intheoryyoucoulddriveitinthreedays,butyou’llwantto
stopeveryfiveminutesonthisepicjourney.
Don’t:
Setoffwithoutplentyofwaterandsnacksinyourcar–onceoutofthecitiesitwillbejustyouandnature.
Lýtingsstaðir
HorseFarm
HúsavíkWhaleWatching
HORSING
AROUND
EvelynKuhne
standswithone
of her riding
horses (not on
themenu) in front
of a traditional
turf house, made
using earth from
the farm
Reykjavik
306
KM
