Faroe Islands

Day 1:

We arrived in Hamburg after 12 hours and enjoy the view of the Elbe, where ships from distant countries are greeted or bid farewell...

Day 2:

Continuing the journey to Denmark, we reached the Thy National Park. Setting up the tent in the storm was challenging. 2-meter-high waves crashed onto the beach. It was a magnificent spectacle. We spent this stormy night at the Vorupor campsite.

Day 3:

The storm from the previous night has calmed down. After a cozy breakfast by the sea, we packed up and headed to Hirtshals for the ferry to the Faroe Islands. The ferry left on time, and you should definitely not miss the buffet in the evening.

Day 4:

Today is a full day at sea, with water as far as the eye can see. In the afternoon, the northern tip of the Shetland Islands appears in front of us. We arrived in Thorshaven on time shortly after 10 PM. The harbor is named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder and lightning. We will spend the next 3 days in a beautiful tiny house located by the harbor.

Day 5:

Today we set off to the largest freshwater lake on the islands, Leitisvatn (Vagar). We embarked on a very rewarding two-hour hike (about 8 km) to the waterfall where the lake flows into the sea. Along the way, we experienced sun, dense fog, and rain while passing rugged cliffs up to the highest viewpoint on the cliff. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Back at the starting point, we drove towards Gasadalur. The waterfall there is situated in a stunning landscape with rugged rock formations and a view of the island of Mykines, home to puffins. The ferries to the island are all fully booked. As we walked the trail from the waterfall up to the cliffs, we saw the charming puffins flying even here, and we were able to observe them for quite some time.

To end the day, we made a detour to Saksun to visit the local church. At low tide, you can walk out to the cliffs, but the distance was too far today. Nevertheless, the view from there was more than rewarding.

Day 6:

Today, our first stop is Runavik to see the Rinkustainar, the Rocking Stones. These two huge rocks located in the sea move to the rhythm of the waves. This phenomenon remains unexplained to this day. Legend has it that a witch here cast a spell on two pirate ships that attacked the village, and they turned to stone, moving up and down with the waves.

We then continued to Giogv. A short walking path took us down to the edge of the cliffs, where hundreds of puffins were frolicking again.

On our way to Eidis, we also encountered the two petrified trolls. They can be found here repeatedly, allegedly because they cannot accept the Faroe Islands' independence and are trying to move to Iceland. However, they did not make it in time and were petrified by the rising sun.

Day 7:

The storm in Denmark granted us an extra day on the Faroe Islands. So today, we explore the city more closely. We walk along the harbor to the cathedral and then continue uphill through a beautiful nature park with stunning views of the sea, all against strong headwinds, until we reach the Svartafoss waterfall. The way back passes by the football stadium, leading back down to the harbor city. This time, the wind is at our backs, and we have a great view of the ships in the harbor.

Day 8:

The ferry is on its way, and nothing stands in the way of our onward journey to Iceland. We'll meet again in the next travel diary!