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“There was an ocean above us, held in by a thin sac that might rupture and let down a flood at any second.” ― Stephen King Mýrdalssandur is a massive outwash plain just east of the town of Vik, on Iceland’s south coast. The Ring Road enters this area after a short run along the mountains near Vik. I have never seen anything like this and at first had no idea what I… Read More
“The places where water comes together with other water. Those places stand out in my mind like holy places.” ― Raymond Carver Water upon water, water flowing everywhere, from the high and cold places, that is Iceland. And this, is one of the most known waterfalls for a few reasons. Skógafoss is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland, at 60 meters in height and 25 meters wide. It’s also just a short… Read More
We pass through the present with our eyes blindfolded. We are permitted merely to sense and guess at what we are actually experiencing. Only later when the cloth is untied can we glance at the past and find out what we have experienced and what meaning it has.” ― Milan Kundera I chose the attached quote for several reasons. First, and foremost, I’m referring to the ever changeable nature of Iceland’s landscapes. Many… Read More
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” ― Rachel Carson I couldn’t help but match my favourite Rachel Carson quote with this image. The scene above left me breathless as I beheld it for the first time…. Read More
“Mountains, according to the angle of view, the season, the time of day, the beholder’s frame of mind, or any one thing, can effectively change their appearance. Thus, it is essential to recognize that we can never know more than one side, one small aspect of a mountain.” ― Haruki Murakami More mountains, their scale lost against the massive northern Icelandic fjord, Eyjafjörður. The highest peak, at the center, Kerahnjúkur, rising to 1,097… Read More
“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.” ― John Muir It feels a bit odd using a John Muir quote here, because they know the mountains he is referring to, namely the Sierra Nevada of California and Yosemite National Park. Yet, his words ring true in these mountains as well. On this day, my son and… Read More
“Look with open eyes and you will see the beauty of the waterfall.” ― Anthony T. Hincks In this post, I decided to return to Hraunfossar, as fascinating series of waterfalls in Western Iceland. What makes these falls so amazing, is that at first glance, they look like typical waterfalls, pouring down from some glacial stream. But, on further inspection, you realize that there is no stream involved here, at least not in… Read More
“The stars looked down at me from infinite space. We are tiny, they said, but you are insignificant.” ― Shane Maloney On the first day of my Iceland trip, something that came to my attention, almost immediately, was the incredible contrast in scale between the land itself and man-made things, particularly houses, which seem so insignificant against the mass of rock and ice that surrounds them. Here, a farm which has guest cottages,… Read More
“Waterfall and Barn” – Þjóðvegur, South Shore, Iceland “The icy waters flow and drop in silver streams from high cliff tops; they nourish the land and flow among the ancient bedrock and volcanic debris; sculpting, cleansing, and nourishing this rugged landscape with their cool purity and gentle persistence” – Ed Lehming It seemed like this stretch of highway between Vik and Höfn was lined with some form of waterfall for much of… Read More
“Sunlight will always follow in a clouds wake.” ― Anthony T. Hincks One of the aspects of Iceland that I enjoyed most was that nothing lasts very long. It does not rain all day, nor snow all day, sunshine comes and goes, and the clouds above shift and morph by the minute. Oh, the clouds and light of Iceland, they are simply unbelievable. Clouds come in layers, each layer with a mind of… Read More
“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but Nature more” ― Lord Byron This was a common scene along many stretches of Iceland’s Ring Road; beautiful cabins on the mountainsides. I’m a bit envious. I’d love to stop at one of these retreats… Read More
“Kleifarvatn” – South-East Iceland “The very land oozed sulphurous steam, as if some ancient beast trapped below was exhaling through the cracks in the earth, yet the morning light filled the air with a quiet peace” – Ed Lehming Day 10, our final day in this wonderful land of contrasts: Fire and Ice, vast black plains and towering mountains. The land of endless waterfalls and barren lava fields. On this final day,… Read More
“Videy Island” – Reykjavik, Iceland “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.” ― John Lennon This was our final full day in the glorious land known as Iceland and we spent the day touring the city on foot, starting at the harbour front. I could not help but be entranced by the raw beauty of… Read More
“Hvammsfjörður” – Western Iceland “Those who live by the sea can hardly form a single thought of which the sea would not be part.” ― Hermann Broch There was a slight delay in my posts over the past few days. You see, for the last 2 days of my ten day Iceland trip, I was sick with some sort of gastro-intestinal infection. I have no idea where it came from. It felt like… Read More
“Hraunfossar – Wide View” – Western Iceland “In Iceland, water is everywhere. It surrounds the land itself. Water courses from high mountaintops, bursts from the ground, itself, and flows in endless ribbons over the ancient stone, cleansing the blackened and tortured landscape. The water rarely stands still, as if it’s the lifeblood of the land itself.” – Ed Lehming Today, as we headed toward the town of Borgarnes, on Iceland’s western coast,… Read More
“October Afternoon at Kirkjufellfoss” – Iceland “People are very busy; they are so busy that when they walk in the crowds they see no one, no one but themselves; they hear no voice, no voice but their own voice!” ― Mehmet Murat Ildan Today was a day of long travels, over broken dirt roads, navigating a quicker route to our destination, the only real ‘destination’ we have had on this trip, apart from… Read More
“Heiðarfall” – North Iceland “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson On a day that started out dull, and blanketed in low cloud and with little promise of sights to photograph, we set out on the still icy road which would lead us to a stop at Goðafoss, a much photographed waterfall just off the main… Read More
“Möðrudalsfjallgarðar” – East Iceland “When hell freezes over the Earth shall be covered in snow.” ― Anthony T. Hincks The theme of this day is snow, never-ending snow, floating snow, drifting snow, skin biting snow. You see, today we headed into the north of Iceland. As we awoke in the town of Egilsstaðir, light snow had already fallen overnight and dusted the world in white. The forecast showed the snow would be ending by… Read More
“Berufjörður” – Djúpavogshreppur, East Iceland “Welcome to driving Iceland, where every turn in the road opens up a brand new and astounding vista. Just when you think you have found the most beautiful sight in the world, another competes with it in an endless play of wonders.” – Ed Lehming Today’s theme is mountains, fjords, and glacial streams. First, the mountains are really a continuation of yesterdays mountains, though in line with… Read More
“Sveitarfélagið Hornafjörður – Glacial Pool” – East Iceland “ If one looks at the glacier for long enough, words cease to have any meaning on God’s earth.” ― Halldór Laxness Today was a day of volcanoes, mountains, and ice (and rough roads), as I continue my journey around Iceland’s Ring Road. We entered the south-east of Iceland, having departed from Vik this morning, travelling along Highway 1. Shortly after Vik, the landscape changed… Read More
It is said, “There is no bad weather in Iceland, only bad clothing” – unknown “Rangárþing Eystra” – South Iceland The saying above rang true on day one of my trip to Iceland with my son. I agonized about taking the right cloths for this land of ever-changing conditions, trying not to pack too much, but being aware that too little could also pose a problem. We landed at 6:05am to surprisingly… Read More
Ed Lehming Photography 
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