In Iceland, the late sunrise during the winter is both a blessing and a curse. Today it was a blessing, as we were able to indulge in a much-needed lie-in and still drive an hour to Vik’s Dyrhólaey lighthouse before the sun lifted above the horizon. We were the first car to arrive. There were many times throughout the trip that I was thankful we opted for a rental SUV with four wheel drive. This was one of those times! The drive up the hill to the lighthouse was on a rocky, icy, winding road. And to make things even more exciting, we got to drive along the narrow path in total darkness.
I remember making it to the top, parking, and not wanting to get out of the car. It was already predicted to be a cold day, but it seemed extra windy and bone-chilling atop the cliff. After Nick gave me a brief pep-talk (“it won’t be that bad-we only have to get a few photos-we are wearing plenty of layers-this is a once in a lifetime opportunity”), we went for it, on a mission to capture something special with both our physical and mechanical lenses. At first, the weather continued to complicate things. As my body went numb and I was misted with water droplets, I have to admit, I wasn’t particularly loving life.
But then before we knew it, sunrise was upon us. The rain subsided and the sky cleared up. We were presented with an abundance of beauty in every directions.
With the weather cooperating, it was so much more fun and exciting to explore the hilltop.
We also had some fantastic views of Iceland’s iconic black sand beaches.
Sometimes I just had to take a moment to remind myself how thankful I was to be in such an enchanting place. If you’re looking for inspiration, I couldn’t imagine a better place to get the creative juices flowing than Iceland.
Dyrhólaey lighthouse is easily accessible along the Ring Road. An hour or two is all you need to soak everything in. There’s no reason not to make a visit if you’re passing through! Personally, I can’t wait to revisit in the future, on a summer day, when the sun is shining, and the puffins are partying.
When You Wander 