A secret base in the north
Iceland
©Eleven Experience
Ice snaps under my boots – sharp, clean, unexpectedly loud. Moments later, I find myself on horseback, gliding rather than riding, barely touching the ground. I’ve dreamt of Iceland for years but nothing prepared me for how immediately it pulls you in. I choose to travel through those extremes slowly, from the wide south to the far north. My journey ends at Deplar Farm by Eleven, hidden deep in the Troll Peninsula. Less hotel, more secret base. A little Hobbit. A little James Bond. And somehow, exactly what I didn’t know I was looking for.
The south sets the rhythm
The south sets the rhythm
Walking on a glacier is less about strength than focus. I stamp my crampons into the blue ice until they bite, listening to the crunch beneath my feet, aware of how alive the surface feels.
Then I climb onto an Icelandic horse, and the tension eases. I’ve ridden before, but never like this. Riding an Icelandic horse feels like a connection to the Viking age. Thanks to a thousand years of isolation, they’ve kept a unique gait called the tölt – that is steady, smooth, and oddly addictive. It feels less like riding and more like gliding through the landscape.
Scenes from the north
Scenes from the north
A short domestic flight takes me north to Akureyri. From there, I continue by car towards Tröllaskagi, following the water for about two hours past small fishing villages and long stretches of nothing at all. The road feels strangely familiar, like the opening scenes of a Nordic crime series which makes sense once I learn that parts of Trapped were filmed right here. Our guide, speaks when stories matter and steps back when the landscape says enough on its own.
Not your average lodge
Not your average lodge
I notice when a place understands rhythm – and Deplar Farm does. Nothing is rushed, nothing feels staged. Stepping inside feels more like arriving at a private lodge than a hotel. Warm wood, soft light, and a subtle scent that’s gently fruity, faintly mountainous, and oddly comforting. Shoes come off without thinking. Socks go on. Thoughtfully prepared dishes are designed to be shared, with conversation doing most of the seasoning. It reminds me how powerful the right atmosphere can be and how rare it is when it happens so naturally.
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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©Eleven Experience
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© Eleven Experience
Wind outside, wool inside
Back at Deplar Farm, the world seems to fall away. A drink in the outdoor hot pool, steam rising into pitch darkness, leaving you floating between elements. The contrast is what makes it powerful: raw nature outside, comfort within. Wool blankets, soft lighting, a sense that every detail has been chosen with care. Gratitude sneaks up on me. If Iceland teaches me anything, it’s that heat feels better when I’ve earned it.
What stays
What stays
Iceland stays with me. It reshapes how I think about elements, distance and what truly matters on a journey. It reminds me how much a great guide can transform an experience, and that “cold” is often just a story we tell ourselves: it’s the wind that bites. Deplar Farm is for those drawn to adventure and to nature experienced with depth. More than half the country believes in elves, and honestly? After a few days among lava fields and shifting light, so do I.
Are you ready to ride Icelandic horses past giant glaciers, the Deplar way? Cosa knows the route.
