SKÁLAKOT

Guests can venture on any of 100 steeds through the vast mossy lowlands, or up into the rocky Eyjafjöll mountains; skirting volcanoes and waterfalls, wading through lakes or spotting the Westmann Islands beyond. Even more special still are overnight crusades of up to a week, spending most of the day in the saddle and sleeping in huts used by sheep herders.

Back at Skálakot, the 14-bedroom hotel is in fact an extension of the farmhouse the family lives on, with its rooms and suites blending a homely welcome with 20th-century design. Incredible ocean and mountain views – and a feeling of absolute freedom – await.

Suitable for:

• Riders
• Families of all ages
• An escape to the outdoors

Things to do at Skálakot:

• Relax in the steam bath and hot tub
• Try fresh Icelandic fare at the restaurant
• Revel under the Northern Lights or midnight sun

Things to do nearby:

• Fresh water fishing for Arctic char, sea trout or salmon
• Visit black sand beaches
• Swim in geothermal pools
• Venture across magical glaciers on a snowmobile
• Take a helicopter tour for a different perspective
• Swim alongside puffins that dive from the coast
• Drive through lava fields in a Jeep