7 DAY WOOL TOUR

The “Wool Route” trip is for those:
– who are interested in yarn, knitwear, crafts and cannot imagine themselves without knitting-needles popping in their hands with the gentle smell of wool lingering around them…
– who already enjoy this hobby or to whom it has already become a source of employment income.
– who are interested in learning what the wool product is made of and what its path to the end user is.
– who are curious as to how the colors are developed, the Icelandic patterns are created, about its origin and what its meaning to the Icelandic people is. Icelandic wool is  different from the Scottish or Australian wool. It is, in fact, unique. This trip offers the opportunity to learn about this.
With the help of an experienced guide and sincere local people, we will be able to provide all of this for you.

Day 1 / Arrival Reykjavik
If you arrive with an earlier than evening flight, we recommend a visit to the Blue Lagoon before you come to Reykjavik. After a good dose of relaxation, you arrive at the capital of Iceland – Reykjavik. First night in Reykjavik. (A visit to the Blue Lagoon can also be planned on your last day)
*Day 2 / Hvalfjörður-Bjarteyjarsandur
Our guide will come and pick you up from your hotel in Reykjavik to start your tour. We will visit Hvalfjördur Fjord and Bjarteyjarsandur Sheep Farm. There we are going to learn about sheep farming, see sheep being sheared and find out about the benefits of the Icelandic wool. You will have the opportunity to comb, tease and spin freshly sheared wool. Refreshments and coffee. Overnight accommodation in Borgarnes or the surrounding area.
Day 3 / Borgarnes
We will visit crafters at the wool store Ullarselið in Hvanneyri. There we will see both processed wool and articles made of it. We will be greeted by local women, who will tell us about wool articles and their importance to Icelanders. Moreover, we will meet the botanist Guðrún Bjarnadóttir at Hespuhúsið and observe wool dyeing by means of herbs, plants and berries. This method was applied in the days of  the Vikings. The same day we are going to see the historical site Reykholt, where one of the most famous Icelanders, politician, poets, historian and writer, Snorri Sturluson, lived from 1206-1241 and wrote the Prose Edda. We will complete the day with a stop by two remarkable waterfalls: Barnafoss and Hraunfossar.
Day 4 / Reykjavik – designer galleries
Return to Reykjavik. More free time in Reykjavik. We will visit designer galleries and wool shops. We may even have an opportunity to chat with local designers. We are going to see designed clothes and accessories. This will help us get acquainted with and better understand the influence of Icelandic nature on the range of colors, patterns and shapes of wool. Galleries: Farmer Market, Geysir,  Kraum and many many others…. The day ends by warming up in one of Reykjavík ’s pools and  meeting with our professional knitter Jóhanna. Short introduction to our workshop.  Overnight accommodation in Reykjavík.
Day 5 / Golden Circle: Þingvellir-Geysir-Gullfoss
On this day we will get closer to the nature and its wonders. Golden Circle: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall). Þingvellir is the original site of the world’s oldest existing parliament and a living geography book. We will see where the split between the Eurasian and North American continental plates is taking place. On our way to Reykjavik we will stop at the Cottage Shop, which is located in Þingborg, an old historical building near the town of Selfoss. You will hear about the history of wool and will see a lot of wool articles. Local women, who have been knitting all their lives, will show us different Icelandic patterns and explain them to us; you will hear about the knitting technique and history of the Icelandic sweater “lopapeysa”. Overnight accommodation in Reykjavik.
Day 6 / Álafoss Wool Factory & knitting workshop
The last day in Iceland. A short visit and guided tour to Álafoss, an old wool factory, followed by a 4-hour knitting workshop with Jóhanna Friðrika Sæmundsdóttir in Reykjavik. You will receive samples of the lopapeysa sweater. We’ll have a nice afternoon with coffee/tea and Icelandic refreshments.
Be sure to bring back home some Icelandic wool, it will be very useful when the cold kicks in. Overnight accommodation in Reykjavik.
Day 7 / Reykjavik-Keflavik
Keflavik Airport with a short stop at the Blue Lagoon and your flight home.

*Day 2. Tours of the farm are held all year round. Sheep shearing can be observed only in November or March.