Turf houses are Iceland's architectural jewels

Burfell, Iceland

IN the Thjorsardalur valley in Iceland's southern highlands, the first green shoots are starting to sprout up from the browned grass, until recently covered by a thick blanket of snow.

Soon, a carpet of lush green turf will cover the ground - and envelop the sides and roof of the large farmstead and its stone-encircled chapel, located in the middle of a vast field not far from the Hekla volcano.