Iceland: Day 17 - Vik

July 11, 2004

Vik is the southernmost coastal hamlet of the country and the only one without a harbour. The flat, black beach south of the village was declared one of the 10 most beautiful island beaches of the world by Iceland Magazine (hmmm, I wonder how objective they were!). Large bird breeding colonies are on both sides of the village, arctic terns, puffins, guillemots, fulmars, kittiwakes etc.

We had breakfast at a little picnic spot and walked along the beach where we also found examples of volcanic tuff - rocks made up of solidified ash and other volcanic material. In technical terms, tuff is rock formed of pyroclastic material. Found a lovely piece with bird poo on it... would that make it "tuff shit"?!

The black sand beach and puffin cliffs of Vik.

"Tuff shit!"

An example of the miniature traditional houses that adorn many of the lawns.

A view of the Mýrdalsjökull.

A farm and lush green fields nestled in between the rocky mountains with the glacier in the background.

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