Basalt Column formations

Grímsey has many beautiful basalt columns formations especially at the south west corner of the island. Basalt is a volcanic material that can crystallize into special formation if thick lava flow is cooled relatively rapidly from a horizontal angel – then the lava cracks and creates these special hexagonal formations. This has happened in Grímsey as the lave flow has been encountered by the cooling from the ocean.

The size of the columns depends on the rate of cooling; very rapid cooling may result in very small columns, while somewhat slower cooling is more likely to produce large columns.