Hiking around the Faroe Islands is often not about the destination, but the journey itself. As all 18 islands provide excellent hiking opportunities with endless possibilities, it is difficult to pick one to write about!
Land of Fairies And Elves
The Faroe Islands enchanted me completely! During my one week stay, I explored the most important routes and simply could not get bored of the beauty of nature.
When visiting the islands, I suggest spending a few days on Vagar Island: in Torshavn, the capital of the Islands, and in Klaksvik, the second largest city. The destinations mentioned below can be easily reached from these two towns.
One of the most scenic routes is crossing the island of Mykines. The trail can only be reached by ferry from the harbour of Sorvágur on Vagar Island, or on some days by helicopter in case the weather allows. The ferry passes by incredible rock formations and takes just over 30 minutes. When I did the crossing, the sea was quite rough. Upon arrival I needed some time to recover, but given we had 6 hours to catch the ferry back, it was not a problem.
The Island of Puffins
We headed west from the port hitting a rather steep trail and we were hiking through the surrounding hills. The weather was cloudy, foggy and it was drizzling – not the perfect conditions for taking stunning photos. But luckily it cleared up a little when we reached the nesting area of the puffins, so I was lucky to capture a few good pictures. The birds were all over the place, many of them were even flying just over our heads! I saw puffins before on Iceland but this was the first time for me to see them in such large numbers. It was an amazing experience to see these penguin-like creatures elegantly flying around.
Soon after we crossed a small bridge to reach our destination, an old meteorology station and a lighthouse. As the fog got really thick, we could hardly see these, so we rather turned back towards the village where we spent some time in the local café to warm up with some soup and hot drinks. This is a one day trip with a casual hike between the morning and afternoon ferry times. The only danger around – tourists sometimes go too close to the edge of the cliffs in an effort to take the best pictures. Unfortunately, accidents happen, even a few local shepherds lost their lives here and a small memorial was erected in their memory.
Even though there is a church on Mykines, the island has no priest – nevertheless people gather on Sundays to pray and sing. Singing is very popular in general, and is an integral part of any family or friends get together.
Waterfall, Lake, Ocean
The waterfall close to Gásadalur is probably the most iconic sight of the islands – as well as the most photographed one. Even a tunnel was built through the mountain to make it easier to reach the tiny village. It is not uncommon in the Faroes, that 2-3 km long tunnels lead to small villages inhabited by only a few families, just to make their life easier.
The largest lake on the islands is located between Sørvágur és Miðvágur. When driving from the airport to the capital you have to take the small service road towards the stone houses and when you reach the lake you can continue on foot along the left shore towards the biggest cliff. After a short hike you will reach the ocean where you can take an amazing shot of the ocean and the lake set in the same picture. Do not expect a marked trail, as there is none – just follow the lakeshore as the terrain allows!
Meeting an Elf
After completing the above trips, it is recommended to move on to Torshavn, from where the rest of the sights are easier and cheaper to reach – as we only need to pay tunnel toll only once (exiting Vágar).
One of the most photographed and charming villages of the islands is probably Gjogv. The name means canyon and it accurately describes what to except! There is a canyon right by the village on the left side of which there is a trail to the top of the neighbouring mountain. You will find a gate after some time with a sign – we only guessed that it warned us about entering private property, but since no one seemed to bother we continued too. From the top of the mountain the view was nothing less than stunning, offering great photo opportunity!
The canyon itself is also best viewed from the top – it looks as if someone hit the ground with a giant axe to split the island! Of course, by the time I reached the summit it was pouring so I did not spend much time up there, but headed back to the village. I waited for the rain to stop in the only pub of the village when noticed kids rowing on a small lake. Nearby I also found a mini-house, similar to the ones I saw on Iceland, built for trolls and fairies – honestly, I would not have been surprised to meet one of those creatures there!
Visiting a Desert Island
The drive to Saksun was incredibly amazing. The 10km long, one lane spaghetti road has a turnout bay every 50 meters. My head was already spinning from the drive, but spotting the cute little village along the bay with the bright white church, the veil-like waterfall and its few colourful houses – just added to the feeling. As I could not see a living soul around, I was not even sure if the village is inhabited. Later I read on the internet that there are only 30 people living here. I walked to the black sand shore of the lake from where you can reach the ocean. A completely abandoned and beautiful place, could not get enough of it!
Tjørnuvík, an apocalyptic-like village is also located on the Island of Streymoy. I did not meet anyone there either, and was only surrounded by the silence of nature: the roar of the sea and the sound of birds. The road leads along the rock tower to the black-sand covered bay with only a few colourful houses locked by the mountains. From the beach you can enjoy the great view of the Giant and Witch Rocks and the neighbouring Eysturoy Island. As there are probably never crowds of tourists around, there is no café or souvenir shop, but still there is a spotless public restroom next to the bus stop – an amenity you can find almost everywhere around the islands.
It Is Easy To Get Lost
Driving to the Island of Kalsoy took a long time – simply because I stopped taking pictures all the time. When finally the sun broke through the foggy clouds, the emerald-green meadows were lightened so incredibly beautifully that I could not resist but kept snapping photos one after the other.
As a result, I almost missed the ferry! On top of everything, there are no signs to direct the clueless tourist and I never knew which exit to take at the roundabouts. Eventually I asked a man who was walking along the road. It turned out he was going to the port as well so I gave him a lift and he navigated. We reached the ferry where it seemed there is no place left for my car on board. I still do not know how they managed to squeeze 15 vehicles in such a tiny place. The captain was lining up the cars as if he was playing Tetris. I had to park so close to the fence of the ferry that I could hardly get out of the car. The diver next to me had to climb to the back seat to be able to exit!
After reaching Kalsoy, I drove north, towards the city of Trøllanes where I wanted to visit the lighthouse. On the way, I had to drive through four completely dark tunnels. It is only the first few seconds that are scary, then your eyes adjust. The tunnels were built during the ‘80s. Prior to that, the four small villages were only accessible by boat.
The Unfriendly Birds
Based on my research, I knew that it is not going to be easy to find the lighthouse, so I thoroughly questioned the lady at the tourist information desk back in Torshavn. Of course, no road signs here either. Following the instructions, I left the car at the parking lot and started my hike on the left side of the mountain. It is a steep trail with no mercy, only climbing upwards – I was seriously sweating! I almost reached the ridge when more and more birds came flying and circling around me, getting closer and closer, screaming louder and louder. I tried to squeeze myself as small as possible, but was also afraid to slide off the steep mountain. Finally I gave up and turned around.
In the village, I met a Norwegian family who took the same ferry I did. They were already back from the lighthouse. It turned out that there is no need to climb the mountain, it is also possible to reach it by walking along the shore. I did not mind I missed it though – it turned out to be a very tiny lighthouse and anyway, the islands are all about the journey and not the destination!
Despite the 10 degree Celsius summer and the sky high prices, the Faroe Islands hold a special spot in my heart. I took so many hikes and trips during my eight days long visit, that I got to know the islands fairly well and even though the weather was often not welcoming, I saw the most beautiful landscapes, certainly the ones that give you goose bumps. Although I would not consider living here due to the short summer and the isolation, I am extremely happy that I had the chance to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary place!
