Basalt columns in Kálfshamarsvík cove, Skagi peninsula, Iceland Jul 13, 2025

Basalt columns in Kálfshamarsvík cove, Skagi peninsula, Iceland

Today"s image takes us to Kálfshamarsvík—a secluded cove on the country"s remote Skagi peninsula. Unlike Iceland"s famous black sand beaches, this cove"s shore is strewn with large, smooth pebbles, while its fiery volcanic past still reveals itself in the towering cliffs. Here, evidence of volcanic activity is on full display in the form of rare hexagonal basalt columns. These sea cliffs are shaped into natural sculptures so symmetrical that they look almost man-made. These striking formations were created around 2 million years ago, when thick basalt lava cooled slowly, contracting and cracking into geometric shapes that formed near-perfect hexagons. Though Iceland is full of volcanic marvels, formations like these are rare, making this quiet cove truly remarkable.

© Arterra Picture Library/Alamy

palette

Today in History

Jul 13, 2024Fairy chimneys and cave dwellings in Cappadocia, Türkiye

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 4, 2024Male white rhinoceroses
Jun 19, 2025Beach in Santa Catarina, Brazil
May 1, 2025Plumeria flowers, Hawaii, United States
Aug 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Nov 29, 2024Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
Aug 22, 2024Ocean City, Maryland, USA
Feb 27, 2025Polar bear cub, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Dec 2, 2023Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
Dec 3, 2023Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona, USA
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
Apr 7, 2024North American beaver, Denali National Park, Alaska, USA
Aug 21, 2024Nazca boobies
Jan 3, 2024Lake Minnewanka, Alberta, Canada
Sep 29, 2024West Cornwall Covered Bridge, Connecticut, USA
Aug 23, 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
Dec 1, 2023Jasper National Park, Canada
Aug 17, 2024Alfanzina lighthouse, Algarve, Portugal
Oct 14, 2024Coco Beach, Goa, India
Nov 23, 2023Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Apr 29, 2025Garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France
Jul 24, 2024Swaledale sheep in North Yorkshire, England
May 3, 2025Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Jan 28, 2025Short-eared owl
Dec 8, 2023La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
Nov 10, 2023Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA
Jan 2, 2025Ardez village, Graubunden, Switzerland
Oct 28, 2024Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Apr 15, 2025Castillo de La Calahorra, Granada, Spain