IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Upon booking the tour, and in order to make the trip enjoyable, please make sure you are familiar with the day-to-day itinerary, the fitness condition required, as well as the list of equipment. For any questions, please check our FAQ first (answers to frequently asked questions).
Departure: 2023, February 21-27, 6 nights
Group size: 12
Price: 290000 isk
Single room supplement (only in Reykjavik): 15.000 ISK
Not included in price: flights to and from Keflavík International
Included in price:
- 1 knitting instructor
- 1 local guide
- a pair of high quality snow shoes with crampons is provided for the duration of the tour
- 2 nights at a guesthouse in Reykjavík, double rooms, dressed beds, shared facilities.
- 4 nights at a country guesthouse, dormitory style, dressed beds, shared facilities. Sauna.
- Full board from day 2 till lunch day 6, breakfast on day 7
- all meals are prepared by our hostess with local ingredients
- All transfers as per itinerary, knitting as per itinerary.
- Yarn for knitting little samples during the workshops and a Katla socks
Because participants come from all over the world, the tours are operated mainly in English but Hélène is bilingual in French. A lexical of knitting terms in German/English/French/Icelandic is available during the tour.
Fitness et hiking level: moderate.
Accessible to all those in good health, who are doing some sport regularly. 2-4 hours walk per day, without carrying much weight. You don´t need any previous experience in snow-shoeing to participate.
ITINERARY
Day 1 (2023, February 21st): Knitters arrive to Iceland from all over the world at various time during the day. Night at a guesthouse in Reykjavík close to the Icelandic Handknitting Association of Iceland, full of lopi sweaters and wool.
Day 2 (2023, February 22nd): In the morning we visit Hélène´s studio and pick up some yarn for our socks before taking a 45 mn flight to Akureyri, the capital of the North. In the afternoon we´ll visit an authentic turf farm, Nonni´s house and local crafters before heading to the wondrous mountain range of Tröllaskagi or the peninsula of the Trolls. Our picturesque country guesthouse, where we will stay for the next 4 nights, is located in an idyllic valley with views on the grand peaks. Lunch enroute. Earthy dinner on the premises.
Day 3 (2023, February 23rd): Today we will start our sock knitting workshop. We will also get to know our snow shoeing gear and take an easy tour on flat land, visiting the sheep at the next farm.. In the evening, the women from the valley will join us for a cozy knit-night.
Snow-shoeing: 3 hours. Distance: 6 km/ 3,75 miles, can vary depending on the trail chosen, group’s level and weather. Ascent/descent: 0.
Day 4 (2023, February 24th): Today we will continue exploring the area around with our snow shoes on, and continue our knitting workshop with Hélène. Relaxing time in the sauna in the evening. Lunch and dinner on premises. Did I mention that our hostess is a wonderful cook?
Snow-shoeing: 3-4 hours. Distance: 6-8 km/ 4,3-5 miles, can vary depending on the trail chosen, group’s level and weather. Ascent/descent: 200-400 m / 650-1312 ft.
Day 5 (2023, February 25th): After a cozy morning knitting, our bus will pick us up for a little sight seeing tour, a visit to the wrondrous world of Lene and a deep in a hot tub by the sea. Snow beach and sea swimming for those who dare!
Day 6 (2023, February 26th): This will be our last morning snow-shoeing and knitting with the trolls, enjoying the sauna and the company of our hostess. In the late afternoon we say farewell to the beautiful North and head back to Reykjavík (45 mn flight). Night is at the same guesthouse in Reykjavík and we enjoy a free evening in the vibrant city.
Snow-shoeing: 2 hours. Distance: 4 km/ 2,5 miles, can vary depending on the trail chose, group’s level and weather.
Day 7 (2023, February 27th): Departure.
KNITTING WORKSHOP
TRADITIONAL ICELANDIC SOCKS
A bit of history: Hélène will tell us about the rich Icelandic tradition from the moment it came to Iceland in the 16th century to our modern times. She will tell us especially about the fascinating history of sock knitting in Iceland and we will be able to see many genuine samples at the Museums.
Icelandic wool workshop: Hélène will tell us about the Icelandic wool, from the very fine handspun lace yarns made of thel to the highly breakable unspun lopi. She will tell us about the novelty Icelandic yarns that she created, especially Katla which she developed with sock knitting in mind. We will experience the feeling of knitting with such different yarns.
Traditional socks workshop: Hélène will tell us about the various types of socks in Iceland, how they were shaped, and will teach various interesting techniques and many variations for heels and toes. We will make many samples to master the techniques and at the same time knit a pair full-size sock using Katla Sokkaband, Hélène´s Icelandic sock yarn.