I Explored The Edge Of The Arctic In Iceland

At the edge of the Arctic, Iceland reveals a rare kind of wildness, says Amelia Windsor. She checked into off-grid retreat, Eleven Deplar Farm, to discover the restorative joys of the harsh Icelandic winter, and its remote and rugged landscape.

Review: Eleven Deplar Farm

Eleven Deplar Farm

Waking up to total darkness which doesn’t subside until after 9am creates a tantalising feeling in the stillness of the morning – the thrill of waiting for the landscape to appear and the day to take form as the weather wishes. Folklore is part of the fabric of Iceland and it is easy to see how the longer nights ignite mystery and magic. The short days also mean making the most of the time available before the light starts to dim over Eleven Deplar Farm.

The black-timbered and grass-roofed former sheep farm sits in the mountainous Fljót Valley in the Troll Peninsula of Northern Iceland, around 230 miles from Reykjavik. Flying direct to Akureyri though, the hour and a half drive to Deplar offers views of cinematic, ice-covered fjords, Icelandic ponies, glowing snowcapped peaks, as well as passing through Siglufjörður, filled with colourful houses and the Herring Era Museum, an industry vital to the country’s economy.

Days at off-grid Eleven Deplar Farm are mapped out depending on the conditions and the desires of each group, with choices from riding and snowshoeing to sea kayaking at sunrise surrounded by seals. Come deep winter, the conditions are perfect for hugely popular heli-skiing.

During my visit, we climbed snow-covered mountains with not a soul in sight, and I had never felt anywhere more remote. The higher we hiked, the more out of breath we became, but the otherworldly views of the Arctic Sea and the light hitting the peaks around us – with a hot chocolate in hand – ignited our pioneering spirit.

Swimming pool at Eleven Deplar Farm

On a rainy day – as an enjoyable curveball – we visited Flóki Studios, where Justin Bieber recorded his recent album and which has hosted artists such as Pharrell Williams and Calvin Harris. Designed to offer musicians a unique and isolated experience away from urban distractions, surrounded by roaring fires and rugged nature, creativity can be unleashed.

In my own unleashing, I braved a Viking sauna. This 60-minute guided fire-and-ice experience meant jumping from the extreme heat of the sauna to a cold plunge in the outdoor pool – and by cold, I mean a toe-shrivelling four degrees – which, when you’re outside in the elements, can feel much brisker. For those less inclined to the extreme, there are also facials and massages to ease tired limbs and icy-wind-struck faces.

Husky sled at Eleven Deplar Farm

The 13 en suite rooms, all named after Norse Gods, can be booked together or independently. They are the height of cosiness, with extra down-filled duvets and piles of woollen blankets. Come evening, the resident mixologist lures us from our caves for pre-dinner cocktails, before a feast cooked by chef Jakub Maciag featuring local delicacies.

The arrival of night always comes with the added frisson of not knowing whether the Northern Lights might come out to play. Whether or not the sky dazzles with its natural light display, an after-dinner dip in the pool is its own reward of a vast darkness ablaze with stars. That feeling of being unleashed has never felt stronger.

BOOK IT: Doubles at Eleven Deplar Farm start from £2,958 per night, based on two sharing. This includes adventure itineraries, all meals and drinks and transfers. Find out more at elevenexperience.com

Amelia’s return flights from London Gatwick to Akureyri had a carbon footprint of 576kg of CO2e (ecollectivecarbon.com)