Black Sand Beach, Fjaðrárgljúfur and Skaftafell Day 5

Day 5: Black Sand Beach, Fjaðrárgljúfur and Skaftafell

Today we sleep until 7 AM and then begin our tour. The first stop is Black Sand Beach. A beach with black sand. The rocks along the coast are characterized by basalt prisms. They also host many birds such as seagulls and puffins. The beach is known for its dangerous waves, which are also referred to as 'Sneaker Waves'. These waves can hit the shore unexpectedly and with great force, pulling people into the sea, which can be deadly. We keep a safe distance from the water. Not everyone is as cautious, but luckily the sea is calm today. We stay for about an hour and then move on. In Vik, we refuel, buy 2 plush puffins, and replenish our food supplies. Then we take a brief look at the beach there. After that, we drive 45 minutes to a canyon. The Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon was formed during the Ice Age and is 100 meters deep and 2 kilometers long in some places. We hike along the path by the canyon and stop at 3 viewpoints overlooking the gorge.
Then we continue. The agriculture is varied, mostly green meadows with plenty of moss and wildflowers. You can clearly see where lava once flowed. Now moss is growing over it. Trees are rarely seen, as settlers have cleared up to 80% of them. Reforestation has not yet been successful.

On the way, we see the interesting waterfall Systrafoss and spontaneously decide to stop. We climb the hill in about 20 minutes and enjoy the view of the surroundings. At the top of the plateau is a lake. The descent goes quickly and we are back in the camper in no time.
The next hour takes us past waterfalls, rocks, and several glaciers. We look for our spot in the Skaftafell Campground right in Vatnajökull National Park. After a short break, we take a brief walk around 5 PM. We choose an easy route to the glacier and the lake. It’s planned to take an hour. We find a way to get to the glacier from the side and can touch parts of the ice. To do this, we climb over many small and large stones, crossing small streams. It’s not exactly allowed, and the action carries dangers. The rivers are fast-flowing and icy cold. The ice is also melting and can break. We are careful. So what was supposed to be an hour turned into two by the time we return to the camper. We are hungry and look forward to the shower. I quickly cook our dinner and we fall back into bed exhausted.