The Dyrholaey Headland, below the clouds at the eastern edge of the Myrdalsjokull Ice Cap, Southern Iceland
The Dyrholaey Headland is the most southerly point in Iceland. Sand bars join the former volcanic island, erupting Surtsey-like 100,000 years ago, to the mainland. A lighthouse occupies the 110-120m high perpendicular cliffs at the western end of the headland. The headland slopes down to a long, low height eastern end, which is accessed by a road from the mainland. The coastal lowland, at the foot of the highland edge supporting the glistening ice cap, was covered by the sea before isostatic uplift of the land, following the release of billions of tonnes of ice weight at the end of the Pleistocene Ice Age some 10,000 years ago. The Dyrholaey Headland was made a nature Reserve in 1978. In shape it resembles Portland Bill in Dorset. On this rare occasion, the ice cap was cloud free. The ice caps of southern Iceland normally attract large volumes of cloud and precipitation from moist south westerly winds rising and cooling over the highland interior.
Size: 5935px × 3753px
Location: Myrdalsjokull Ice Cap (summit looking east towards Dyrholaey Headland), Myrdalur, Southern iceland
Photo credit: © robert harrison / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: cap, change, cloud, coast, coastal, dyrholaey, edge, expanse, geography, geology, glacial, glacier, headland, ice, iceland, island, isostasy, isostatic, level, lowlands, scenery, sea, sheet, snow, snowscape, tourism, travel, uplift, volcanic, white
