An extraordinary evening with Her Majesty.
No mountain in Iceland inspires as much awe and affection as Herðubreið, rising from the desolate expanse of the Ódáðahraun (“Lava of Evil Deeds”) lava field in the northern Highlands. The table mountain (1682 m) took shape during a subglacial eruption around 20,000 years ago. To Icelanders it is indisputably the “Queen of the Icelandic Mountains.”
Herðubreið is commonly translated as “broad-shouldered,” though the name may also derive from the shape of an axe head.
Access to the Queen does not come easily. The journey demands a long plod along rough tracks cut through lava fields, punctuated by fords across glacial rivers. The purlieus of Herðubreið resemble a science-fiction vision of an alien world, inhabited by geological actors given to periodic fulminations. The Askja caldera lies within sight, as does the shield volcano Kollóttadyngja.
The sequence captured in the following images almost did not happen. An impenetrable band of cloud on the horizon had smothered the setting sun, and we were on the verge of calling it a day. Then we noticed a flicker at the base of the mountain. Before long the fire had worked its way upward and the drama was underway. Our deus ex machina was a narrow slit that had opened in the cloud deck, draping the Queen in the sweetest light imaginable.
At the end of the sequence, a short video is included.
Herðubreið – last light
5DS, 70-200L f/2.8 IS II
Pretty good, you got it at the right light.
This is really the queen !
Já, það var dásamlegt.
Beautiful photos and video with a good choice of music. The photo where you zoomed in is absolutely stunning.
Thank you, Jon. Merry Christmas to you!
Hi Rajan,
Your photos are beautiful, as always, but I especially wanted to say that I loved the video. It gave context to the photographs and greatly increased my admiration of their beauty and your skills. Nice addition to your blog.
Best regards,
Bob_B
Thank you, Bob. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you!