Hvalnes Lighthouse

Hvalnesviti stands on a black-pebble headland where Iceland's southeast coast meets the open Atlantic, a short way east of Höfn. Built in 1954, the squat orange tower still guides ships, though it is now automated. Its bright colour stands out against the dark beach and the jagged Eystrahorn behind it. The cape is a nature reserve full of seabirds, waves break over the rocks below, and in the dark season it is a good place to watch for the northern lights.