What Is Gimli?

Gimli is the shining temple that escapes all destruction of Ragnarok, the end of days in Icelandic Mythology. It is High Heaven, it is Heaven above Heaven, the 'Shinning Temple'. It becomes a home of righteous and compassionate souls after all is lost.

What's The path to Gimli?

The path to Gimli is a pilgrimage made by a small group of Icelanders on horeseback tracing the voyage of their fellow countrymen who went to the 'New World' ~ Gimli, Manitoba.

The journey begins in Eyrarbakki, Iceland and this website will chronicle the horsemen as they recount the route their countrymen took to Gimli, Manitoba. It is a compelling story of Canadian and Icelandic history that is little known to most Canadians. So keep posted and check out the video journal between July 1st and August 2nd 2005, to watch the riders as they make their way from Eyrarbakki, on the south coast of Iceland to Gimli, Manitoba.

The path to Gimli

The path to Gimli celebrates the Canadian/Icelandic connection. A conversation between Karl Ágúst Andrésson of Iceland and Declan O’Driscoll of Canada gave rise to this novel plan to mark the 130th anniversary of official Icelandic settlement in Canada. A pilgrimage on horseback, it will begin in Eyrarbakki, on the south coast of Iceland on Canada Day, July 1st. Its conclusion will coincide with the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba in Gimli, on July 30th. Icelandic horses have been shipped to Canada to be ridden from Kinmount, Ontario to Gimli. The Canadian leg of the journey will begin on July 16 as a feature of IceFest, in Kinmount, the location of Canada’s first major Icelandic settlement.

In Ontario, The path to Gimlic will proceed through Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Rosseau and Hekkla, towns associated with the history of Icelandic settlement. A memorial plaque will be unveiled in Hekkla. A bound volume of Icelandic Sagas will be presented to the Bracebridge Library, to commemorate the library’s serialized collection of Icelandic letters. These letters date back to the 1890’s, when immigration was at its peak. The Ontario ride complete, horses and riders will be transported to Manitoba, to reach their final destination in a triumphant ride into Gimli, where they will be welcomed by the Prime Minister of Iceland.

An Icelandic post horse will deliver mail from Icelanders to their North American relatives in old, pony express fashion, another special feature of the ride. Icelandic Post has issued a national franking stamp to commemorate this unique project. A horseshow in Thunder Bay will highlight the prowess and splendour of the Icelandic horse.

These remarkable horses will be sold in Gimli, as a fundraiser for The Snorri Program, an initiative to furnish education grants for the direct descendents of the settlers whose path will now have been retraced and duly honoured. Young Icelandic/Canadians can then travel to Iceland to research their ancestors and heritage.

The path to Gimli will strengthen ties between Iceland and Canada. In making this journey we will illustrate the significance of the horse in Icelandic culture, acknowledge the courage and stamina and linguistic energy of Icelandic settlers and celebrate all enterprise towards community, past , present and future...