As Gotland wakes

At the Raufi family horse farm in Lau, southern Gotland, visitors gather in the middle of the night to greet the dawn on horseback. During the dawn ride, an adventure culminating in sunrise on a desolate beach, riders experience how nature and the island awake.

By: Henrik Berglöf

Though it’s barely two in the morning, Lisa Raufi’s home in Lau has already been bustling with activity for hours. The horses have been brought in from the pastures. Breakfasts have been packed. And the first visitors are beginning to show up on the still dark farm. People greet each other quietly, still sleepy, and some long to creep back into their beds. It is still silent outside. Lisa comes along to introduce the riders to their horses. And then they ride off into the meadows and fields. Lisa has kindly asked the riders to only talk when necessary and the ride starts off with only the sound of the horses’ hooves on the ground. After riding for about 20 minutes, nature begins to awaken. The first sound comes from a corncrake in a field. A fox stops in its tracks to take in the sight of the riders. Then the conifer forests begin to give way to deciduous trees. Here, you can hear various species of birds. Part way into June, you can hear male nightingales in their competitive songs. As they approach the coast, it is the sound of sea birds that take over. The colour of the sky shifts several times during the ride. It goes from blue, to pink, to orange. Everything still remains quiet. Flies, which can be irritating during day rides, are not even noticeable. Finally at the beach, the riders are greeted by the long, shallow bay of Lau. The sun hangs suspended like an orange on the horizon, and when the wind is still, the water and light make a mirror that blurs our sense of up and down. It is time to take a gallop through the water for those who feel the urge. Occasionally, a golden eagle will decide to join in, perching on a sand dune just a hundred metres from the riders. Then it's time for breakfast on the beach. The scenery only enhances the flavours of coffee and sandwiches. The horses munch on reeds in the meantime. Then it's time to return to the farm. It is now 7 a.m. and the day has only just begun on Gotland.

“We get a lot of return visitors each year, Lisa Raufi tells. Last year, one of our riders was able to squeeze in three dawn rides during her week on the island. “I understand why, this is an activity that need not compete with any other. When she got home, her family was still snoozing. They had the entire day left to spend together,” Lisa continues.

Their entire organisation has an organic mindset. For example, the farm has toilets that separate urine from faeces to conserve water, and all waste is separated at the source. The food served to guests is locally grown. Any leftovers go to the chickens who reciprocate by providing eggs for breakfast on the beach. There is even an environmental mindset in the ride itself:

“It's about being considerate. If you ride with care, you have a minimal impact on nature. We pick up any horse manure left on the beach. We also pick up other people's rubbish. I've been known to ride home with soiled nappies in my saddle bags,” Lisa says.

Most visitors still come in the summer, but more and more are coming for rides at other times of the year. Around school holidays and other major holidays we often get guests. In the autumn, bookings for three-day weekends increase. Gotland's nature is generous in offering experiences throughout the seasons. Regardless of when you ride, Lisa promises it will be a special experience.

“On horseback, you can travel for miles without effort and get something entirely different out of nature,” Lisa says. “Animals in the forest are less shy than when you come on foot so you can have closer encounters with foxes, eagles and deer. During a longer ride, you get to know your horse and start to feel like a team, experiencing the journey together. It's very common that riders break into tears of joy,” Lisa continues.

Lisa believes that increased interest in back-to-basic experiences is the effect of an overwhelming flow of information and more time in front of screens. There are a lot of people who find peace in letting go of the news and social media for a few hours.

“We don’t ban phones, but we do encourage our participants to make actual memories rather than storing them in their phone. During their holidays, a lot of people keep up a fast pace. This is a way to disconnect and just take it all in,” Lisa concludes.

Book your dawn ride with Lisa at destinationgotland.se/en-dos-gotland

Raufis’ Icelandic Horses in Lau

Lisa and her husband Kave have been organising dawn rides for ten years. Their daughter Alva also generally helps out. The groups for these rides are small, with no more than five people. The ride takes between three and four hours and is for experienced horseback riders. They can also arrange other tours for people with less riding experience. Also available is a weekend package with accommodations and rides that are customised to the participants. There are two flats on the farm for hire. Most of the farm's horses are Icelandic horses, but they also have ponies. If the weather is expected to be unsuitable for a dawn ride, Lisa gets in touch the evening before and offers riders a new time.