Husey

Husey sits on the flat sand delta north of Egilsstadir, between the Jokulsa a Bru and the Lagarfljot where both run out to the sea, and the setting is unusual for Iceland: no mountains close by, just wet grassland, braided channels and enormous sky. Common and harbour seals haul out on the riverbanks near the farm and can be watched from the shore. The wetlands hold breeding waders and geese in numbers. The farm runs a hostel and horse riding across the sands, which is the way most visitors see the area. It is a long drive down a gravel dead end, so nobody arrives by accident.

What you actually see

• A delta between two glacial rivers - flat wet grassland and braided channels.
• Seals on the banks - hauled out within sight of the farm.
• Breeding waders and geese - the wetland's summer population.
• Riding across the sands - the local way to cover the flats.

When to go

June to August for birds, seals and open facilities. A full day.

Honest expectations

It is a long gravel drive to a dead end with nothing else along the way. Seals are wild and not guaranteed; approaching them closely disturbs them. Facilities are the farm's own and seasonal. The flats are boggy and mosquito-free but midgy in still air.

Nearby

Egilsstadir is south; Vopnafjordur lies north over the hills.