PV/1 - Vestrahorn, Austurfjörur, Iceland

'Landscape & Local Story'

Austurfjörur 📍, a secluded black-sand bay on Iceland’s southeast coast, is one of those wild, quiet places where the rhythm of the Atlantic seems to slow everything down. In November, the light turns dramatic and fleeting, pale sunrises, long shadows, and early twilights paint the bay in silver, gold, and deep indigo. The beach, often windswept and dotted with seaweed and smooth stones, feels both raw and intimate, as if it belongs to the traveler alone. From here, the view opens toward the jagged peaks of Stokksnes and the dark outline of Vestrahorn, one of Iceland’s most photographed mountains. In late autumn, the first snows dust its sharp ridges, contrasting with the black sands below. On calm days, the wet beach becomes a mirror, doubling the mountain’s presence in haunting reflections.

'...Local folklore tells of trolls who once roamed Vestrahorn, lured by the richness of the sea; one tale says a troll couple ventured too close to the shoreline at dawn and were caught by the rising sun, turning to stone and becoming part of the jagged peaks themselves. Whether believed or not, the story lingers in the wind, adding a timeless aura to the stark beauty of the November landscape...'