WHERE ARE ALL THE SHEEP? - OR: WHAT OUR TEAM DOES ON A STORMY DAY!
If you travelled around Iceland during the summer months, you sure noticed all the sheep roaming around freely around the country.
Each year, after lambing season finishes in spring, farmers let their sheep out of the stables and fields to roam freely over the highlands for the following months.
However, as autumn approaches, the farmers venture out for the so-called "göngur" to gather their roaming sheep back together and herd them back home. The search can take days as the sheep spreads out widely. Traditionally, part of the search party goes on horseback while the rest of the group walks. Nowadays, also ATVs are used and even helicopter companies offer their help in search for the animals.
After days of scouting the grazeland, all sheep are gathered for the so-called "réttir", the sheep round-up.
"Réttir" is an old Icelandic tradition and annual event that draws families, friends and on-watchers together as sheep have to be separated, sorted and brought to the farms they belong to.
After the gathering, the sheep is collected on a big field and as the "réttir" begins, they're let into an enclosure with several spokes surrounding that one central pen. The participants of the "réttir" are now making their way through the crowd of sheep trying to find their own by the number on the ear tag.
The event normally takes a few hours, depending on the size of the "réttir". Once all sheep are sorted, the farmers herd them back to their farms where they will stay inside their stables through the winter months.
WHY I AM TELLING YOU ALL THIS?
As yet another storm is forcing us to cancel our whale watching tours, part of our team made use of the opportunity and joined the Hraunsrétt, the largest sheep round-up here in the Northeast of Iceland, to help our captain Guðni's family to sort their sheep. While catching and dragging sheep to the right gate is sure exhausting, the event is still a fun activity and great opportunity to get involved in Icelandic traditions and local life. Thanking us for our help, Guðni's family even invited our team home after the round-up was complete and we got to try "Hangikjöt" (smoked lamb meat), a meal traditionally eaten on the day of "réttir".
- Sarah
