On the headland of Stokksnes in the desolate East Fjords, there’s a magnificent black beach that stretches out from the foot of Mt. Vestrahorn—one of Iceland’s rare gabbro rock mountains. This beach is every photographer’s dream, as natural forces continually shape the landscape yielding different scenic results.
Scouting the beach by Vestrahorn feels like an exhilarating treasure hunt. In the area you’ll find a Viking village made for a film set that got left behind, remains of a N.A.T.O. radar station, a wooden shipwreck and a small lighthouse. The site is also historically significant as it counts as one of the more famous locations of Iceland’s pre-Viking settlement by the Irish.
On the shore, you’ll find lava dunes coated with deep-green grass, while the wet sand tends to grant a perfect mirroring of the dramatic mountain that watches over this untouched natural wonder. While admiring all of this, remember to respect the environment; the grass that serves to protect the dunes has sometimes been trampled by incautious visitors.
