Iceland South Coast & Highlands 2017


Bunte Rhyolithberge im isländischen Hochland bei Landmannalaugar aus der Luft

After my sailing trip through East Greenland I met Luisa in Iceland, and with friends we travelled through the south and up into the highlands. September was the perfect season: long days for exploring and dark nights for northern lights – even if, shortly after the new moon, we only got to see faint streaks of light.

Sunset at the glacier lagoon

The camera often stayed in the backpack; the drone flew whenever the weather allowed. At the Jökulsárlón we had a beautiful sunset, red clouds burning above the nearby hotel. Just as beautiful were the glacier tongues around the lake, far from the tourist crowds.

A detour into the highlands

Once more we went to the black beach of Stokksnes before I set off into the highlands for the first time. At the Laki craters the weather let us down: low-hanging clouds over the crater landscape – but in return very special, atmospheric photos. The next day, after 26 river crossings each way, we reached Landmannalaugar. Wow! Despite strong winds and threatening rain clouds I sent the drone up, and the view from above looked like a watercolour.

Torn both ways

After every Iceland trip I swear to myself never to go back … and then I think of the aerial shots from the highlands, and the brooding starts all over again.

Seljalandsfoss in black and white
Seljalandsfoss with river from the air in late summer
View from the cave behind the Seljalandsfoss
Black beach and sea on Iceland's south coast from the air
Black beach between sea and meadows on the south coast from above
Dyrhólaey and the sandur plain under clouds in black and white
Dyrhólaey cliff and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks from the air
Surf on the black beach, straight from above
Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the sea near Vík from the air
Steep coast and black beach near Dyrhólaey in black and white
Road sign in a wide landscape under clouds in black and white
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon with a river between steep rock walls
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon from the air
Clouds in the blue sky over Iceland
Jagged rock face above green slopes on the south coast
Ring Road under dark clouds on the south coast
Bridge over a dark sandur plain
Road and bridge over branching river channels on the sandur from the air
Winding watercourses in black sand from above
Wide river channels on the sandur in front of mountains from the air
Table mountain above the sandur plain in black and white
Road towards glaciers and mountains in black and white
Glacier tongue at a lagoon under a blue sky
Glacier front above a lagoon in summer light
Glacier tongue between brown mountains with a lagoon in front
Glacier tongue in a valley with a lagoon from the air
Dark evening sky over a flat landscape in black and white
Icebergs against the light on the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
Chunks of ice in the evening light on the Jökulsárlón
Blue icebergs on the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
Icebergs reflected in the Jökulsárlón
Iceberg and small pieces of ice in dark water, straight from above
Drift ice and the bridge at the Jökulsárlón from the air
Outflow of the glacier lagoon into the sea from the air
Spit of land at the glacier lagoon in the evening light from the air
Tyre tracks on a plain against the light
Grassy shore by murky glacier water from above
Small island in milky glacier water from above
Patches of grass between glacier water, straight from above
Glacial river and mountainsides in black and white from the air
Glacier forefield and a mountain in black and white
Channels in the sand of a glacier forefield from above in black and white
Glacier lagoon with chunks of ice in a valley from the air
Chunks of ice in brown glacier water, straight from above
Glacier front with crevasses above brown water from above
Glacier surface with crevasses, straight from above
Blocks of ice with bands of debris in the glacier lake from above
Chunks of ice in a glacier lagoon in black and white from the air
Hilly landscape with mountains under clouds
Tour group cheering in front of mountains in Iceland
Clouds in the blue sky over a lake and distant mountains
Vestrahorn under a dramatic sky in black and white
Vestrahorn above a lagoon near Stokksnes in summer
Surf off a coast under wide clouds
Vestrahorn above dunes and marram grass in black and white
Jagged mountain with a scree slope in black and white
Icelandic horses on a pasture and a horse's head close up
Old fishing boat on land in black and white
Rainbow in the evening sky over Iceland
Fiery red clouds above a dark mountain at the Jökulsárlón
Glowing red evening sky above a dark mountain ridge
Chunks of ice in the outflow of the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
Road heading towards a table mountain in black and white
Dark hills under a grey sky in the highlands
Highland valley with a river under low clouds on the way to the Laki craters
Fence and highland track in the fog
Off-road vehicle crossing a river in the highlands
Gravel track into the highlands under a grey sky
Highland track through a stony plain in the fog
Moss-covered lava field under clouds at the Laki craters
Small triangular wooden hut in the highlands
Dark crater rim under a grey sky at Laki
Track through moss-covered lava in the fog at Laki
Wide highland plain under thick clouds
Highland track between hills and a red crater
Dark volcanic hills in the highlands
Colourful highland hills under rain clouds on the way to Landmannalaugar
Snowy mountains above dark slopes in the highlands
Clouds over a reddish mountain in the highlands
Dark mountain range and a river in the highlands
Coloured rhyolite mountains near Landmannalaugar under grey clouds
River valley in the highlands near Landmannalaugar in black and white
Colourful rhyolite mountains near Landmannalaugar from the air
Striped mountainsides near Landmannalaugar in black and white from the air
Rhyolite mountains in brown and red near Landmannalaugar from the air
Wide colourful mountain landscape of Landmannalaugar from the air
Coloured ridges with patches of snow near Landmannalaugar from the air
Clouds over the mountains of Landmannalaugar
Colourful mountain range behind a gravel plain near Landmannalaugar
Track through the highlands with dark mountains
Highland track and hills under low clouds
Waterfall on green slopes below glaciers in the highlands from the air
Woman in a blue anorak with a dark Icelandic horse

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