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On Iceland's South Coast lies a stretch of coast with black beaches. At first glance some of these pictures look like they are in black and white. The beaches in Iceland don't tend to be used for sunbathing, but in some ways they are much too beautiful for that anyway.
Cave on the beach near Vik showing the hexagonal basalt columns formed when lava cools slowly. Published in print in Halló Iceland: Land of Contrasts, August 2015.
© Photos by Pharos 2014
Got outside for another two hour hike. Didn't cover a lot of distance today, mile-wise, but I did a fair amount of scrambling up and down hills.
Curious volcanic formation looming out of the forest floor.
Yes, he got wet and yes, I could have titled it "The Ron effect" because within minutes this empty stretch was colonised by hordes of snappers anxious to get that shot. (And if you ask him nicely he might even post it)
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
From Wikipedia:
According to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), from the Fenian Cycle of Gaelic mythology, was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet. In one version of the story, Fionn defeats Benandonner. In another, Fionn hides from Benandonner when he realizes that his foe is much bigger than he. Fionn's wife, Oonagh, disguises Fionn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the 'baby', he reckons that its father, Fionn, must be a giant among giants. He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him so that Fionn could not follow. Across the sea, there are identical basalt columns (a part of the same ancient lava flow) at Fingal's Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa, and it is possible that the story was influenced by this.
Basalt North Of The Columbia River near Wallula Gap, J Jacobson Photography / www.jjacobson-photography.com