Horses and Herring

On By DbmakesIn Iceland Sept 2025

I am getting so mixed up about what day it is, especially when I think about what my family and friends are doing 7 hours earlier.  This IS Saturday, September 27th. 

I loved being in the countryside, but it was time to move on at 8:30.  Within a 5-minute drive we came upon this beauty ….

Can you imagine having this in your neighborhood?

It is said there are 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland.  I can believe it.

I read an interesting book before my trip called Burial Rites by Hannah Kent.  It is about the last woman who was executed in Iceland in 1830.  We visited the site where she was beheaded. 

I’m so glad I read the book.  It was actually quite moving for me to be here.

We continued to drive through some beautiful scenery before stopping to “spread our legs” (locals tour joke) and have a quick bite. 

Joe and Lister from Baltimore and Cindy from Boston, all enjoying the famous Icelandic hot dog

We got a surprise today …. Inga wanted us to witness a very special annual event:  The Horse Roundup. 

Every spring the mares with their foals are set free to roam the valleys.  They believe it allows them more health and sure footedness.  Every  September, before the bad weather sets in, they round them up, corral them, and sort thousands of horses to return to their owners (the horses are chipped).  This is done in each region that has lots of horses.   I took a ZILLION pics so will only share a few ~

Here they come
It took over 30 minutes to get all of the horses down
Some go on horse tours where you can rent a horse and be part of the round up
Ah, this reminds me of us, Joe. 
Quite an experience.   And look at our weather!

We continued the drive north and absorbed more incredible views on the peninsula.  If I had been in my own car, I’d still be driving that road. 

Now I think I REALLY NEED to go to Norway in honor of my heritage.

Speaking of the Norwegians, they came to Siglufjorgur in 1903 to fish the massive amount of herring in this area.  Of course, the women did the hardest work at the lowest pay.  They performed hours and hours of back breaking work salting and loading the herring in barrels.  Living conditions were deplorable (2 women to each bunk!) but it was quite the place to be to party and meet men!!

These were some tough yet fun women.

By the end of the 60’s, they had overfished the area and the boom was gone.  Today, it is a quiet community of 1300 hardy souls but boasting a great museum honoring the era.

The museum is in three buildings.  The boat building was built AROUND these ships!

More driving until we ended up in Inga’s hometown of Akureyri.  I have a FABULOUS view from my room and I’m hoping to see the Northern Lights from my BED!

We are here for 3 nights and tomorrow will be another full day.  I’m hoping to get to sleep a little earlier tonight BUT …  if the Lights come …

10 thoughts on “Horses and Herring”

    1. We were told there are 70,000 horses in Iceland! Each region does its own horse and sheep roundup before winter sets in. It would have been very amazing to stay the whole day because we’re told they have one hell of a party after the horses are sorted to their owners

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