White sandy beaches? Yes, they’re nice. But what if I told you there’s a lava beach in Iceland that has risen from the ashes? Actually, Iceland has several volcanic beaches, but Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is hands down the coolest with its black sand, insane basalt columns, lava formations, towering cliffs, and caves. In 1991, the American journal Islands Magazine named this outstanding black sand beach one of the ten most amazing non-tropical beaches on the planet. The coastline of the peculiar black sand beach stretches for 5 kilometres.
You won’t find garbage on the beach; people are seldom guests here due to the cold and wet weather. This is the wettest place in Iceland, they say, it rains here for 340 days a year. Sand is also clean from the stones and any other impurities. It’s clean fine sand of extremely black colour! The explanation is very simple. During the volcanic eruption, lava flowed into the ocean and was cooled there, and then, for the long centuries water used to break it into tiny particles making especial kind of sand. Gradually the water ousted it to the coast.
In addition, this place is famous for its caves and huge black boulders. Returning to the legends of trolls, they say that these creatures petrified here, when couldn’t hide from the sun in time. Some say, they tried to drag three ships ashore, other to sink the Icelandic ship. The locals of such unusual places like this like to turn everything into a fairy tale, perhaps, to attract tourists, or they can really believe in it.
These black basalt columns are called Reynisdrangar and they appeared as a result of exposure of the water on the coastal cliffs. They are located next to the majestic towering mountain Reynisfyadl.
Cold water of the coast beach, the endless fogs, penetrating winds and sombre landscapes but still, a sense of delight wins the gloom, everything here seems to be very special and unusual! These unreal surroundings beckon travellers, photographers and filmmakers.