Up north of the White Desert is the aptly named Black Desert, which is as far removed from its neighbor as the two are in name. Making your way past the dunes and distant rises, you would notice the absolute lack of water and the distortions in the air caused by the intense heat reflected off the coarse ground. In summer, the temperatures can rise to unbearable levels, making the desert inhospitable and unsuitable for inhabitation. The moment your vehicle rolls into the desert plains, it becomes apparent where the name is derived from. The landscape is an ocean of gold and ochre from which rise islands of black and grey. These volcanic cones were once fuming vents spewing the black dust of dolerite and iron ore throughout the lands but have now fallen silent. The volcanic stones and chips scattered across the hilltops still give the appearance of mottled grey sands of such intensity that the sandstone and clay packed beneath have been sealed away for good. Black basalt adds further layers, cracked and crumbling to reveal the sedimentation over the years and streaks of limestone which hint at the desert’s oceanic past. Scaling the English Mountain, the highest point throughout the Black Desert, reveals a land stripped of all vegetation and baked by heat waves rolling across the unmoving landscape. Besides this, there are a number of other notable peaks. From such a vantage point, the swirling clandestine clash of reds and blacks of the desert is a true work of art.