EUROPE - FAROE ISLANDS : NO MAYBE ABOUT THE LANDS OF MAYBE
by Ursula & Eldrid Retief



The scene was both tranquil and untamed: the waves furiously pounding the Giant and the Old Witch, the towering sea stacks on Eysturoy island; yet move the eyes a fraction and there are sheep serenely grazing on the rolling hills of grass.

We are on the last unspoiled destinations in Europe: the 18 islands of The Faroe Islands northwest of Scotland, halfway between Norway and Iceland. Narrow sounds and fjords separate the islands.

John Eysturoy (like the island) is proudly showing us his country, its multi-coloured villages, its green hills and its craggy seaside cliffs, home to thousands of birds.

John’s knowledge and imagination has peopled these barren islands for us with figures from the past: from the first settlers said to have been Irish monks, probably in the middle of the 7th century, fast forwarding a hundred years to the time the Faroes became a central part of the Viking settlements along the coasts of the North Atlantic and the Irish Sea. Today it is officially labeled as a "self-governing community within the Danish Kingdom" but independence is a hot topic here.

Much of the heritage of The Faroe Islands reflects a medieval past, villages clustered around old churches are scattered across the islands. Look around you and you can still find old Faroese houses built of stone and driftwood, stone walls facing the prevailing winds, tarred wooden walls and turf roofs.

There are even examples of this unique and frugal building style in modern Tórshavn, one of the world’s smallest capitals on the largest of the islands, Streymoy.

John calls the Faroe Islands the Land of Maybe.

"Can we go to the mountains?" Maybe.

"Can we go fishing (inland fishing on secluded lochs, coastal or deepsea fishing)?" Maybe.

"What about bird-watching (the many cliffs teem with huge flocks in the summer)?" Maybe.

"What about cycling, riding, hiking (footpaths are found on all the islands)?" Maybe.

This does not indicate any reluctance on behalf of the islanders to dissuade you from these activities. It’s about the last thing you can say about these hospitable people.

The "maybe" is strictly a weather thing.

The weather, John Eysturoy tells us, is as changeable and unpredictable as the scenery, from moments of brilliant sunshine, to misty hill fog, to showers. But there are many climactic pluses: The Faroe Islands are in the heart of the warm Gulf Stream (the average temperature ranges from 3°C in winter to 11°C in the summer).

The islanders ask visitors to enjoy letting the weather decide what activity they choose – plan one day at a time, and go sailing or walking in the mountains according to the weather forecast. 

You will find no casinos, no night-clubs, no state-of-the-art fitness centres here. What you will find are excursions and activities which show you the history of the Faroe Islands, its traditions and way of life. You will find the Faroese doing their utmost to make you feel welcome.

There’s no "maybe" about that.


For travel purposes look at the Faroe Islands in these segments:

Streymoy/Nólsoy/Koltur – the harbour-capital Tórshavn on Streymoy blends the historical and picturesque with all the features of a modern city. Scattered about its flagstone stage are museums, cinemas, live theatre, discotheques, quality restaurants and hotels, and, of course, shopping.

Many of these islands’ attractions are found outside Tórshavn.

A short drive takes visitors to Hoyvik on the city’s outskirts to the National Historical Museum where life in the Faroes over the centuries is documented.

Kvivik is a typical Faroese village nestling in a small, pretty cove, the site of an ancient Viking settlement dating from the 10th century; in the old farm settlement of Saksun an old turf-roofed farmhouse, Duvugardar, now a museum, has been in use from medieval times.

On Elf Hill, overlooking Tórshavn, is the Nordic House, a cultural center built with wood from Sweden, tiles from Norway, furnishings from Finland, construction materials from Denmark and Iceland, and the traditional Faroese turf roof. It is designed to foster Nordic culture in the Faroes, as well as encourage and stimulate the development of Faroese arts and culture, not only within the Faroes, but also its dissemination throughout the Nordic region. 

The village of Kirkjubøur, the cultural center of the Faroes from the Middle Ages, is south of Tórshavn. Its most striking ruin is the "unfinished cathedral", a grand Gothic church never completed. Nearby is the tiny St. Olav’s Church, built in 1111 AD and still in use, and its 11th century farmhouse now converted to a museum.


Eysturoy – the second largest of the Faroe Islands is connected to Streymoy island by a bridge. It can also be reached by boat from the town of Klaksvík. The island offers many attractions for visitors: stunning landscapes, quaint villages, historical sites, and modern towns.

The longest fjord in the country, Skálafjørdur, is found in the rather flat and smooth southern part; in the north it is both steep and high. The highest mountains in the Faroes as well as a number of steep headlands, high vertical sea cliffs, narrow clefts, and green fertile valleys are to be found in this area. 

Nordoyar – an excellent infrastructure of modern roads, causeways, and tunnels, makes for easy travel around the northern islands region. The six islands have high mountains, bird-cliffs, the famous Enniberg, and romantic villages along beautiful fjords. If you are interested in history, village life, and village culture, the staff at the local library in Klaksvík, capital of the northern islands region, will get you started. This modern, active city’s economy is based on the fishing industry. The main tourist attractions in Klaksvík are the church, Christians-kirkjan, the Museum, Nordoya Fornminnissavn, the brewery Føroya Bjór, and the Weaving School.

Vágar/Mykines – some 10 – 15 people inhabit the most westerly of the Faroe Islands, Mykines, rich in bird life with the largest puffin colony in the Faroes. The largest lochs in the Faroes – all of them excellent trout lochs – are on Vágar. So is the Faroe Islands airport. First stop from Vágar to Streymoy is the village of Vestmanna where boat trips are organised to the bird cliffs Vestmannabjørgini.

Sights on Vágar of historical interest are the house "Kálvalíd", one of the oldest known houses in the Faroes and today a museum; and one of the few Runic stones confirming pre-Viking settlement.

Sandoy/Skúvoy/Stóra Dímun – you can reach Sandoy by car ferry. Archaeological excavations at the present church in the village of Sandur have uncovered the only stave church ever found in the Faroe Islands. The Vikings found this green island with sandy beaches to moor their ships. Special boat tours are arranged to the island of Skúvoy, an island with lots of legends, and to Stóra Dímun, which is populated by one family. There are a number of guided hiking tours to places of historical interest and interesting museums worth visiting.

Suduroy – the southernmost island in the Faroes is dominated by two deep fjords with the towns Tvøroyri and Vágur at their bottom. Suduroy displays all the characteristics found around the Faroes – long fjords, low grounds to the east and very high bird cliffs to the west. The villagers of Sumba are known as singers of traditional ballads, and it is possible to arrange an evening with traditional Faroese dances. On your way to Sumba you pass the magnificent "Beinisvør", a steep rock protruding from the mountain. There is hiking in the mountains, sailing and fishing trips.

Photo: courtesy David Cantrell at www.barnyard.co.uk


SCRIBBLES ETCETERAS

The Faroe Islands have been a self-governing, autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1948. It has its own national flag and national language, Faroese, which is rooted in Old Norse. English is widely spoken, especially among the younger generations.

How to Get There

Smyril Line operates a weekly passenger- and car ferry service during the summer (May to September) between Tórshavn and Hanstholm in Denmark, Bergen in Norway, Lerwick in Shetland Islands, and Seydisfjordur in Iceland. The ferry, Norrøna, operates a weekly service from Hanstholm in Denmark and Lerwick in Shetland during the winter period.

Atlantic Airways has daily scheduled flights between Faroe Islands and Copenhagen, weekly flights from Iceland; twice a week from Aberdeen in Scotland. Additional during summertime, twice a week from Stansted (London) and Oslo (Norway).

Maersk Air has daily scheduled flights from Copenhagen and from two to five weekly flights from Billund.

Air Iceland has weekly flights from Reykjavík.
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