{"id":79535,"date":"2019-06-10T11:01:30","date_gmt":"2019-06-10T11:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.icelandaurora.com\/phototours\/?p=79535"},"modified":"2023-11-22T18:00:37","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T18:00:37","slug":"east-iceland-photographers-haven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.icelandaurora.com\/archive-phototours\/east-iceland-photographers-haven\/","title":{"rendered":"East Iceland – photographer’s haven"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Heaven vs Haven<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is the difference between a photographer\u2019s heaven and a photographer’s haven?\u00a0 Well, heavens become very popular quickly, especially with lightning-fast internet everywhere and the new ways that people are able to say \u201cCheck this out!!\u201d with a stunning photo.\u00a0 Then everyone wants a piece of the action.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capturing the amazing colours of the Aurora over a glacier lagoon or stepping into an ice cave under the glacier are the types of activities that most photographers would find heavenly.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when a tour bus arrives with 14 other photographers when you are enjoying this heaven or the ice cave suddenly fills up with 40 tourists, you need a photographer\u2019s haven.\u00a0 This is where Iceland\u2019s East Coast steps in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vestrahorn to Reydarfjordur<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The east coast of Iceland is separated from the south coast by Vestrahorn Mountain.\u00a0 If you are travelling by road, there is a tunnel that takes you under the mountain for 2 kilometers until you emerge from the darkness onto Iceland\u2019s east coast.\u00a0 From the coast, the first mountain that catches the eye is Brunahorn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Brunahorn<\/a>
Brunahorn Mountain is the beginning of Iceland\u2019s East Coast<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This photo was taken during a long exposure on a rainy day.\u00a0 On a clear day, Brunahorn resembles a bat and is known locally as the Batman Mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volcanic Coastline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Driving through the East Fjords is not for anyone in a hurry.\u00a0 The roads are winding with a variety of surfaces, and in some places, they have bridged the ford to make travel a little quicker.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the course of about an hour of driving, you would have been facing all directions, sometimes into the sun, sometimes away from the sun.\u00a0 The villages are always on the northern edge of each fjord, so they can see the sun in the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are active fishing communities in most fjords.\u00a0 Notably,\u00a0\u00a0F\u00e1skr\u00fa\u00f0sfj\u00f6r\u00f0ur<\/a>\u00a0has a French connection.\u00a0 The village is twinned with Gravelines in northern France, and it is not unusual to see the French flag flying there. The next village in St\u00f6\u00f0varfjor\u00f0ur houses the world-famous\u00a0Petra Stone collection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some fjords are without villages, such as Berufjor\u00f0ur, which has a nice campsite instead with great views of Bulandstindur Mountain.\u00a0 Bulandstindur is considered to be the most beautiful mountain in Iceland (by the residents of East Iceland).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bulandstindur<\/a>
Order a print online!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Leaving the East Coast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many opportunities to get away from the East Coast along the way.\u00a0 Escape roads lead to Egilsta\u00f0ir and are there to help the trucker\u2019s meet there targets, but if you get tired of going in and out of the fjords or the photography is just not working, then follow a sign to Egilsta\u00f0ir and you will be saved from the haven.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would recommend sticking with it until Rey\u00f0arfjor\u00f0ur.  At Rey\u00f0arfjor\u00f0ur there is the most direct road to Egilsta\u00f0ir and a tunnel allows you to cut out the final peninsula \u2013 Vattarnes.  Please avoid the tunnel, unless you are running out of time.  The Vattarnes Peninsula<\/a> has some of the finest coastlines on the East coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"East
Sea cliffs at Vattarnes.\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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