If you travel to Iceland’s southernmost tip, you will find a village of Vik, a small community of only a few hundred people. The village beach faces the open Atlantic Ocean, is often pounded by powerful waves and is surrounded by dramatic Reynisdrangar rocks. Vik Beach is famous as one of the most beautiful non-tropical black sand beaches in the world. The fine black sand is of volcanic origin – no surprise on Iceland, an island that is full of active volcanoes.

The village is overshadowed by the mountains of Hjörleifshöfði, Pétursey, and Hafursey, and the Myrdalsjokull glacier is just above the village. The glacier sits on the volcano Katla, the source of the black sand, which last erupted in 1918. The next big eruption is brewing, according to scientists, and when it comes it will melt the glacier and wash away the village, leaving behind only the village church at the top of the hill.

Vikurbraut, Vik 870, Iceland

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