Djúpalónssandur
West Iceland · Pebble beach
Follow the path down to a pebble beach framed by dark lava formations.
- 1 hr visit
- 97 km from Borgarnes as the crow flies
Four stones and a working coast
The lifting stones at Djúpalónssandur recall the physical demands of life at the fishing stations.
Among the dark pebbles at Djúpalónssandur are stones associated with an old test of strength. The largest is called Fullsterkur, fully strong; the smaller stones offered progressively less flattering descriptions of whoever could manage them. Local interpretation connects these tests with the ability to work in the fishing stations.
They give this dramatic beach a human scale. Before it became a photography stop, the coast was a place of work, with strength and endurance tied to earning a living. Notice the stones and the remains of a shipwreck without disturbing them. The beach tells its history through ordinary objects as much as through the cliffs and ocean around it.
Sources: west.is
Further reading
- All About The Snæfellsnes PeninsulaIceland Review · Peninsula-wide guide with Kirkjufell and the lifting stones at Djúpalónssandur among its stops.
- German Strongwoman Sandra Bradley First Woman to Lift FullsterkurIceland Review · First woman to lift the 154 kg Fullsterkur, one of the four historic lifting stones at Djúpalónssandur.
- If You Could Only Visit One Black Sand Beach, Which One Would You Choose?Iceland Review · Editors weigh Iceland's black sand beaches, discussing Djúpalónssandur's wreck and lifting stones.
