Iceland Rocks!

Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland.

Iceland has an enchanted atmosphere; a land of fairies, restless volcanoes, incomprehensible language and wacky pop-singers. So what better place to explain the origin of life.

I was filming there recently, for a new BBC documentary on the secrets of the human cell. This photo was taken early in the morning near the sleepy seaside village of Vík í Mýrdal, but it could have been taken at midnight, since the sun doesn’t really set in summer. Filming was rather challenging. When not being buffeted by coastal blasts of wind and rain, I was dive-bombed by angry arctic terns, which noisily swooped down, alerting me to the presence of their ground nests.

The beaches were surreal. Carpets of dusty-blue lupines fringed the coastline, black volcanic sand replaced golden shores, and towering columns of hexagonal rock jutted out of the ground.

I thoroughly enjoyed my short time there, and would love to explore the country more. The air was so clean, I felt healthier with every breath. The food was a real treat too; creamy mashed potato with smoked haddock – perfect comfort food, and it’s not everyday I get to taste smoked puffin.

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