Iceland Spring
Top of the globe, dazzling vistas framed by magnificent geology, and wildlife in incredible landscapes that will be forever imprinted in your memory. That’s Iceland and it has been on top of the bucket list for years. In May of 2022, I was able to check that one. With my adventure partner in charge of navigation, and camera gear at the ready, we wandered for two weeks around the infamous Route 1 in a camper van, with only a hint of an agenda. The weather during the first of week of May was fickle to say the least- blue skies one minute changing to snowstorms and subfreezing temperatures the next. The storms made you realize what arctic landscapes are about. For the photography enthusiast, capturing the opportunities in the light that nature presented was the only challenge.
The landscape of Iceland’s southern coast glows with color after a spring storm.
Beginning in the only major city, Reykjavik, we traveled counterclockwise through the southwest and southern coast regions where waterfalls and glaciers are abundant at every turn. We then moved up the more arid eastern coast and across the colder north region, with detours to Husavik to experience the solitude and beauty of the Greenland Sea. A side trip to the northwestern Westfjords region allowed a visit to the Latrabjarb cliffs- the most western point of Europe. Finally, we circled down through the western Snaefellsnes Peninsula region before returning to Reykjavik. Iceland’s beauty is breathless. I hope you enjoy traveling along.
The power of Gullfoss waterfall is amazing. Gullfoss (“Golden Waterfall” in Icelandic) sits at the canyon of the Hvita river (lower falls is shown above). With summer rains this waterfall has the largest volume of flow for any waterfall in Europe, with flows that can exceed 5000 cubic ft per second.
Rock Ptarmigan on the tundra slopes of Vatnajokull National Park. Home of the immense Vatnajokull ice cap, this region known as Skaftafell is the country’s favorite wilderness area.
The Jarkusarlon glacier lagoon (above) first appeared around 1935 and has continued to grow as the glacier recedes, fueled by a changing climate. The lagoon empties into the ocean and deposits glistening chunks of ice of all sorts of sizes and colors all along the beach, aptly nicknamed Diamond Beach (below). The black sand which covers this glacial moraine area makes for dramatic contrasting images.
A seal swims the cold water of the glacier lagoon. The lagoon is rich in birdlife as well.
Moss growing on a lava field in Iceland’s southeast region comes alive with green color after a rain shower.
Reindeer on the east coast fjords region. Although not native, there are roughly three thousand reindeer in Iceland, originally introduced from Norway in the eighteenth century. In summer months, they stay mainly in the highlands. Despite keeping my distance, these ladies were not interested in hanging around for long to be photographed.
The seaside cliffs at Latrabjarb in the Westfjords region is the most western point of Iceland (and Europe), and are home to thousands of nesting seabirds, including Guillemots, Eiders, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Puffins. Although the puffins had not yet arrived when we visited, hiking on these awe-inspiring cliffs and photographed the multitude of other bird life (below) was an unforgettable experience.
Nesting Razorbills (Auk family)
Kittiwake
Common Eider
Northern Fulmars spend only a short period on land during nesting season, while the rest of the year they are at sea. While they resemble gulls, they are not related (more closely related to the albatross). They have a unique defense mechanism, where they can expel a vile smelling stomach liquid several feet at aggressors, something I was keenly aware of while I carefully took this image from a safe distance.
Kirkjufell, located on the western Snaefellsnes peninsula is one of most photographed mountains in Iceland. While only 463m in height, it’s pyrimidal shape caused by glacial erosion and changing colors make it a truly epic landscape.
For westerners, the Whooper Swan is a rare find, but in Iceland they seem to be everywhere. Graceful. It’s no wonder they are the national bird of Finland.
A final pointer in case you choose to visit Iceland. The old saying that “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes…” is truly good advice. Our two week trip in May included two snowstorms, so it pays to be prepared. However, the weather only adds to the beauty of the landscape and the subpolar experience.