Breidamerkurjökull

Breidamerkurjökull is an outlet glacier of the larger Vatnajökull ice cap in southeastern Iceland. It flows from the main ice sheet towards the Atlantic Ocean. The glacier's name translates to "Broad Sand Glacier" in Icelandic, reflecting the dark volcanic sand and gravel that are often deposited along its margins and terminus.

Historically, Breidamerkurjökull extended further south, but like many glaciers worldwide, it has been experiencing significant retreat in recent decades. This retreat has led to the formation and expansion of a proglacial lake at its foot, known as Jökulsárlón. Jökulsárlón is now a major tourist attraction, famous for its icebergs that calve from the glacier and drift into the lake before eventually making their way to the sea.

The glacier's surface is characterized by crevasses and seracs, and it is studded with ash layers from past volcanic eruptions, which are visible as dark bands within the ice. Breidamerkurjökull is a popular location for glacier hiking and ice climbing tours, offering visitors a direct experience with the dynamic glacial landscape of Iceland. The constant calving of icebergs into Jökulsárlón is a stark visual reminder of the glacier's melting and the broader impacts of climate change.