autumn weekend away - icelandic style

​When you run a small farm going on long holidays isn´t always an easy option since you always need to ask somebody to take care of the livestock. So we usually just take a weekend off to discover and explore new areas in Iceland, check out new accommodation and activities. Although it may only be 3 or 4 days it is just a great way to get out of the farm wellies, see something new, spoil yourself a bit or as they say in German: Have a „Tapetenwechsel“ which translates roughly into „chance of scenery“. 

​This October the family headed west to the beautiful Snæfellsnes Peninsula. We stayed at the Holy Ram Lodge run by Susan and Víðir, a Dutch-Icelandic couple who fullfilled their dream of building a guesthouse to house their riding tours clients in a comfortable and really special way. They had already been offering riding tours along Löngufjörur beach for a couple of years when they decided to turn their sheep barn into a very cozy lodge. This summer the new lodge opened for their guests. A huge window (with comfortable seating) was placed with direct views to glacier Snæfellsjökull. As it faces also in Northwest direction the chances are very good in wintertime to see the Northern Lights dancing over the famous glacier. A cozy lounge, bar and dining room with different options for seating offer a wonderful place to sit down and chat with friends and family. The style could be best described as rustic farm vintage style and when we entered the lodge on Friday evening, candles were lit all over the place and it felt very, very cozy and welcoming. Their dog Viska greets all guests with a big doggy smile and was the best companion of our kids for the whole weekend. Rooms are cozy and decorated in a similar rustic style, offering all the comfort you need with private wc and shower. Food was cooked to order and definitely with love! Even „difficult eaters“ were catered for with dedication.

​On Saturday we joined Susan for a ride along the golden beach of Löngufjörur – I guess every rider´s dream to gallop or speed pace along the beach! Beautiful views of the Búðir lavafield, Búðir church and the Snæfellsjökull glacier made this beach ride a very special one! The guys went fishing in the meantime and later on we took a small hike along the coastline from Arnarstapi to Hellnar and explored Rauðafeldsgjá, a narrow but very deep ravine near Snæfellsnesjökull. From the parking lot it just looks like a crack in the mountain but when you explore the crack it turns into a narrow cave that takes you quite far into the mountain. At times we had to wade the stream that runs through the crack – so bring good hiking shoes and outdoor gear. What an adventure for young and old! And Snæfellsnes has so much more to offer: Wonderful hikes – all year around, black lava and golden sand beaches, small picturesque fishing villages and wonderful food! A must try are the mussels and scallops from Breiðafjörður fjord. If you like them fresh – do go on the Viking Sushi boat tour from Stykkishólmur harbor. And if the weather is not inviting for outdoor persuits then the wonderful Settlement center and Krauma SPA with sauna, relaxation room and outdoor hot pots are not far away. 

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Although we only spend two nights at the Holy Ram Lodge it felt like a complete vacation and we drove home well rested and with lots of new impressions and adventures.  We will definitely be back!

Exploring Iceland offer two tours which include accommodation at the Holy Ram Lodge : 
Winter Special Self Drive at the Holy Ram Lodge (November – May) 
Riding tours with 4 or 6 riding days at the Holy Ram Lodge (June-September) 

​Text and photos by:  Meike Witt