This is the "Sprengisandur". The temperature is just above freezing point, but the very strong wind makes it feel much colder. Because of this wind, not a single shrub is able to grow here, turning the "Sprengisandur" into a polar desert. Only a few hundred years ago, this area was well vegetated, but grazing sheeps caused an environmental disaster.

The table-shaped mountain in the background, above the people wearing the red jackets, is the 1682 m high volcano "Herdubreid", as seen from a distance of over 50 kilometers.