We got home from northern lights viewing around 2am and we’re heading out for horse riding at 8:30. We wake up feeling hungover. The rest of the group have the same feeling, so there’s some comfort in that!

Our guide at Íslenski Hesturinn, Begga, is upbeat and funny and the group quickly warms and gets excited.

After getting setup we head off to meet our horses (I will ride Ljósbrá) and then set off into the snowy landscape.

We ride, including plenty of tölt, for an hour or so. As we get more comfortable with the horses we are better at forming into a neat group, side by side. The landscape is snowy and the clouds are getting pink. We ride between false craters (formed by lava boiling water and bubbling) and up to small hills that give us views out to the surrounding ridges. Extremely fun.

Back at the stable the horses are freed from their saddles and writhe on the ground. Lel.

We head back to Sundhöllin for some more soaking. The hot pots are good, but ultimately it’s the kids pool which is the perfect temperature to completely drift away in

For dinner we follow Anthony Bourdain’s lead to Þrír frakkar, when we walk in the door the smell of fermented shark hits us.

Our choices are pretty conservative: mussels, fish soup, halibut with langoustine and scallops. But I got the smoked cod, this was the rouge of the meals, being far more pungent than I expected. It was good but strong.

I’m grateful for the fresh air on the walk home!