Standing on the edge of Hverfjall - also known as Hverfell - a world of contrasts opens up. In the depths lies the imposing crater, formed during an explosive eruption some 2,500 years ago. Winter has tamed the landscape with a blanket of snow, while the black volcanic sand of the crater wall stands out sharply against the white. Light and dark, fire and ice - together they tell the story of Iceland in its purest form.
Hverfjall is one of the best-preserved tephra craters in the world. Nearly a kilometre in diameter and over 400 metres high, it dominates the area around Mývatn. Once a place of devastating power, today it exudes overwhelming silence. Even in the icy air, you can feel the history of fire that once churned beneath your feet.
On this winter day, the view was serene. No wind, no sound. Just the sleek lines of black sand and white snow, and the realisation that you are on the edge of something ancient - a giant sleeping under a thin layer of ice.
Hverfjall (Hverfjall/Hverfell - crater near Mývatn)
My name is Gerry van Roosmalen, photographer and author with a passion for images and stories that touch. After years in the corporate world, I followed my heart and chose photography in 2002. I completed the Fotovakschool in Apeldoorn, specialising in portrait and reportage photography.
Documentary and landscape..
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