The Mushrooms of Iceland

Telling people you are going to Iceland is a funny experience. About half the people I told were jealous. The other half responded with a confused look: “Why are you going to Iceland?” I didn’t really have an answer for them. Volcanoes? Glaciers? Waterfalls?

I saw all of these features in Iceland, and the landscape alone is enough to explain why tourism has been booming there in recent years. Simply driving from place to place inspired awe, and life-altering hikes were a daily experience. What I didn’t expect to see were the mushrooms.

The massive glaciers and gushing waterfalls truly are magnificent, but it’s difficult to capture these sights with your average camera. When I noticed the first cool looking mushroom at Skaftafell, it allowed me to focus my attention on something I could frame.

This next one was pretty weird.

Is that a flower? Nope, another shroom.

This next guy is one of my favorites.

The surrounding vegetation offered a nice backdrop.

Once I started paying attention, I began seeing mushrooms all over the place.

At this point I became a bit obsessed.

Last one, I swear.