Before I set my foot on Eyjafjallajökull, I’d imagined it as a rugged landscape full of exposed bare rock. One thing I had never expected to find on the flanks of an active volcano was a diverse and thriving ecosystem full of life.

After six long hours of walking, we finally made it to Landeyjahöfn. It was 5 am and the sun had risen. Arctic terns were flying above our heads. I collapsed on a bench. I was so happy to be there. Exhausted but happy.

All of these rocks were telling a story. Like a time machine, they transported me to the moment of their creation. It was a complex story of an intricate interplay of volcanic activity and Iceland’s changing climate.