Knitting Tour in Iceland: From Sheep to Product - 5 days and 4 nights in Northern Iceland

Traveling, experiencing and knitting 

In Hunathing vestra, northern Iceland, there are 38,000 sheep whilst there are only about 1,200 inhabitants. That is a lot of wool waiting to be used for knitting! Why not use this opportunity and travel with a local guide, and a qualified knitting instructor, in the beautiful nature of Hunathing vestra?

Itinerary

Day 1 – Destination: Hvammstangi

Pick up at predetermined locations in the morning. The first stop is The Handknitting Association of Iceland and there you will meet your knitting instructor, Ragga. From there you will head out to rural Iceland with a lunch stop at Hotel Bifröst, which is located next to Grábrók, the largest of three craters in a short volcanic fissure. From there the road leads to Hvammstangi where you will be able to visit the Icelandic Seal Center. The final stop of the day is Gauksmýri Lodge which will be the group’s accommodation for the following four nights.

Day 2 – Getting to know nature

After breakfast we have our first knitting workshop with our instructor, Ragga. Just before lunch you have the option to receive a guided tour around the stables at Gauksmýri where many award-winning horses have been trained. A guided tour around Gauksmýri pond, one of the best local bird watching areas, will also be an option, before feasting on traditional Icelandic meat soup. After lunch the workshop continues until dinner.

Day 3 – Icelandic crafts and raw nature

After breakfast we have a knitting workshop until lunch, and after that we head out to Vatnsnes with a stop at Greta’s workshop where you can observe the making of, and buy, local ceramic products. On Vatnsnes peninsula you will be able to experience authentic Icelandic nature and wildlife while glazing over to the West Fjords. At Vatnsnes there is one of the largest Seal Colonies in Iceland as well as the well-known Hvítserkur and Borgarvirki, Iceland’s only Viking fortress.

Day 4 – Relax and knit

After breakfast we have a knitting workshop until lunch and after that we head out to visit an authentic Icelandic sheep barn. The last stop is Kidka wool factory, the biggest of its kind in Iceland, where you can unravel the interesting art of modern-day wool production. The day will come to an end at the swimming pool in Hvammstangi, which plays a big part in the community, as no matter what weather it is, the people of Hvammstangi will make their way there to lie in the hot pot and talk about the day. What better way to end a memorable knitting workshop than to reminisce about last few days over a delicious dinner at Sjávarborg, looking over Miðfjörður.

Day 5 – The powerful road home 

After breakfast we head back down to Reykjavík with stops at some well chosen Icelandic natural wonders; Hraunfoss, Barnafoss and Europe’s most powerful hot spring, Deildartunguhver. Before arriving back at The Handknitting Association we stop for lunch at Krauma, which serves Icelandic cuisine from the freshest local farm produced ingredients. We estimate your arrival back at your destination in Reykjavik will be around 5 pm.

Seize this opportunity to learn all about the traditional Icelandic way of knitting by an experienced instructor in this exclusive tour.

Location

Húnaþing vestra, northern Iceland. It consists of the three fjords Hrútafjörður, Miðfjörður, and Húnafjörður. 

About The Instructor

Ragga is a qualified craft teacher and through her studies, she has learned about the quality of handicraft and how to make changes to patterns, form, and shapes of clothes.

Through the years she has attended many courses and learned, among other things how to make silver jewelry, leather work, glass art, calligraphy and wood carving. She has specialized in how wool and wool processing has evolved over the years and focused on the history of Icelandic lopapeysa sweater design.

She has her own clothing brand. In 1996 Ragga knitted an Icelandic lopapeysa sweater for herself that she will proudly show you when you arrive. It has aged well. What she enjoys most is to teach new skills and show how you can use your knowledge for further development. She is very excited to share her knitting knowledge with you and loves to work with the Icelandic wool.