Reynisdrangar basalt sea stacks, Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland

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Info. The basalt rock formations of Reynisdrangar on Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland

Any visitor to Iceland knows that driving the main road that runs around the island rewards one with incredible changing landscapes. Today, we’re taking a quick detour to visit this chiseled stretch of Iceland’s southern coast, where black sand beaches meet spiky basalt sea stacks. This is Reynisfjara Beach, widely thought to be the most beautiful example of Iceland’s black sand beaches. The sea stacks fronting the beach are known as Reynisdrangar and were formed when a volcano erupted, spewing flowing lava that cooled into these formations. Ask the locals how they formed, however, and you may get a different story, one involving trolls and a battle with a three-masted ship.