Information about the volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula. Read updates here!
Or try searching by Category and/or Location
September is here, which means it's time for réttir, the sheep round-up. During this time, sheep are gathered from the highlands after roaming free during the summer and brought back to the farms for winter. This long-standing custom brings together families, friends, and visitors from near and far.
If you’re visiting Iceland between October and May, you might wonder where all the sheep have gone. In winter, they stay sheltered inside stables or close to the farms. When spring arrives and the lambs are born, the sheep are released to graze freely in the countryside for the summer months.
The round-up kicks off with the göngur, where groups on horseback and ATVs venture out to gather the sheep from the grazing areas, a process that can take several days. Even when the weather is not at its best, the camaraderie and adventure make it an unforgettable experience. A second round-up happens a few weeks later for any sheep that wandered farther afield.
Once the flock is brought back to the valley, they are guided into pens where the sorting begins. These pens have a central gathering area and smaller sections belonging to different farms. Farmers sort the sheep by identifying their earmarks and moving them to the correct section.
If you’re in Iceland during this time, it’s definitely worth checking réttir out! Just be mindful of sheep on the roads, riders on horseback, and travelers stopping to capture photos along the way.