The raw, natural majesty of Iceland was breathtaking – one of my strongest memories from this country was the pure fresh smell of the ancient iceburgs permeating the air at Jökulsárlón lagoon. But to put the scale of landscape in perspective, witnessing the 1000-year-old tradition of Réttir (sheepherding) in Skaftartungu, a small village in SE Iceland was the quintessential experience that sums up the connection to the land by the animals and people.
Jökulsárlón lagoon – icebergs in foreground & Europeís largest glacier, Vatnajˆkull in background
Sheep in their natural environment, Iceland
Up close and personal with the Sheep at Réttir in Skaftartungu, a small village in SE Iceland
Sheep corralled into circular pen to be tagged by each individual family owner
Icealandic man in traditional handwoven sweater & hat made of sheep wool watching over the Réttir
My view inside the pen, being surrounded by these curious gentle sheep was a highlight of my Iceland experience
Villagers herding the sheep back to the barn, Réttir
A few sheep tried to escape across the river, a muddy messy adventure to capture the final stragglers, Réttir
Final resting place – the sheep in the barn are humanly killed to feed the families each winter
Lamb feast with drinking inside the barn- a day of festivities for the whole village ending Réttir
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