The rock Hvitserkur

On Vatnsnes peninsula in North-West Iceland just off shore stands the majestic Hvitserkur, a 15 meter’s high monolith or seastack. It looks like an animal of some sort, an elephant or a rhino – or even a dinosaurs drinking. Sea ravens and fulmars live on Hvitserkur

The legend goes that Hvitserkur is a petrified troll. The troll lived in Strandir and wanted to tear down the bells at Þingeyraklaustur convent. The Icelandic trolls are not Christian and don’t like the sound or sight of churches or church-bells. Fortunately the troll got caught by daylight and as we all know trolls turn into stone by daylight.

More likely version is that Hvitserkur is actually a volcanic plug from a long time ago. The sea has eroded what was once a volcano, leaving only the plug behind. And even the volcanic plug was in danger of sea erosion and the base of it had to be strengthened with concrete.

The rock has been beautifully eroded by the elements. Its name translates into English as “white nightgown”