After about 14 hours of somewhat restless travel, we arrived in Torshavn yesterday at 3:00 AM.

Today we explored the first part of the Faroe Islands and visited three very beautiful fjords.

Unlike Iceland, the Faroe Islands are much greener, and we haven't seen a single tree so far. The weather isn't really better, but it's a few degrees milder.

P.S. Unfortunately, no photos from the Faroe Islands, as Elfriede's iPhone cannot connect to the network.

Today, we visited a few small villages and took a short hike. The village of Gjógv, which we explored, is a tourist hotspot. (Because it has a café AND a restaurant!)

Tomorrow evening, we will take the ferry back toward Denmark and then home.

Interestingly, we didn't have a single rainy day during our entire stay, which made the Faroe Islands experience somewhat less authentic. It's actually a reason to come back…

Last night, we took the ferry over to Kalsoy. Here, finding your way isn't so difficult because there is only one road connecting the four little villages. Less than a hundred residents live on this island.

We met the seal woman and went on a hike to the lighthouse, which provided us with the best view of this trip so far. At the cliffs, we had to prove our courage against heights. With tornado-like gusts of wind (at least that's how it felt), we sometimes had to sit on the ground to avoid being blown away. It was thrilling!

Today, we took a day off. By coincidence, the national rowing championships were taking place right in the fjord outside our window, which we, of course, watched.

The obligatory sheep snapshots could be taken and we found a café for the long-awaited piece of cake.

We were all the happier when, after the first crossing of a mountain, the fog slowly began to clear and from then on, everywhere we looked, there was nothing but green.

A note to ourselves: If the Faroese rate a hike as challenging, then IT IS challenging.

Today we need a little break from the thrill and are going to see some well-known waterfalls.

After that, we headed to Kirkjubøur. It's a small coastal village with some of the oldest still-inhabited buildings on the islands. From here, we embarked on a little hike that unexpectedly led us directly to the cliff face above. It was thrilling!

Tomorrow we will go exploring in the capital.

The time on board passed strangely asynchronously. Just before I got bored, I took a reading hour, spent some time on deck, and checked Google Maps. In the afternoon, it was time for some movies on my phone. There was no shortage of lounges with a casual atmosphere, as well as cafés, restaurants, a cinema, a gym, a game room with slot machines, and a sky bar named Laterna Magica, right under the bridge - all waiting to be explored. Outside, it was getting darker and we were approaching, as announced, a storm area between the Norwegian coast and the Shetland Islands with wave heights of up to five meters.

The initial skepticism about my sea legs proved unfounded and I enjoyed the rocking of the boat. The decks gradually emptied, people staggered down the corridors like they were drunk, which was quite amusing to watch. I spent the last hour before bed in the bar. A solo artist played instrumental covers (Dolly Parton, Oasis, Neil Young, among others), with no more than 15 guests in the audience, outside the roaring sea, and behind the bar, glasses clinked. I rocked myself to sleep.

My cabin was on deck 2, right under the car parking spaces, in the belly of the ship. To get to the upper deck, I had to go up to deck 8. At 7 AM, we were just passing the Shetlands, my phone connected to the UK mobile network, and I could play around for a few minutes. Then came breakfast. On my sea day, I had booked breakfast and dinner buffets. In between, I read, took walks on deck, watched videos, and informative lectures about the travel destinations Faroe Islands and Iceland added to the entertainment.

In the afternoon, the boat reached the Faroe Islands and docked in the capital Torshavn. In an hour, some passengers left the ferry, others boarded, and we set off again. Wiki knows that about 55,000 people live in the Faroe Islands, the same number as in Greenland.

In the evening, dinner (buffet with drinks for 42,-) and outside the islands between games of clouds and sunsets. I got my money's worth. The night was calm and I looked forward to arriving in Iceland the next morning!

08/17/2023: After a peaceful night on board, we have a beautiful day on the ship's deck and an exciting journey through the 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!

A sea voyage, that's funny, ...

In the morning we passed the Shetland Islands, in the evening we stopped at the Faroe Islands. We had rough seas the whole time and accordingly some unhappy faces. I held on bravely, but on this day of the crossing a tablet was necessary. Right on time for the stopover in Tórshavn it got better again.

I slept two nights in the belly of the ship and always had an ear for the unfamiliar noises. The clapping of the waves against the hull, the work of the metal during stronger deformations, the ventilation ... plus the sometimes strong rocking movements. These two nights were also short for me. Finally, after almost 48 hours of travel, the east coast of Iceland came into sight. From initially distant high mountains with cloud caps, everything in shades of blue-green-gray, the entrance to the 16 km long Seyðisfjörður fjord gradually developed.

We passengers had 15 minutes 2 hours before landing to bring luggage to the vehicles. Up and down stairs, all in a crowd. Phew. Now all cabins were free and cleaned. So waiting in the corridors and restaurants was the order of the day until the ship actually docked in Seyðisfjörður harbor. Everyone rushed to the vehicles, while pedestrians waited at the gangway.

The motorcyclists had to free the bikes carefully tied up at the beginning of the journey from the straps again. Then they got on and there was already a signal to start the exit. What a spectacle for the motorists.

Estimated 40 motorcyclists were on board and now drive in a long line as the first ones on land.

It was very stormy during the night. I wake up and feel extremely nauseous. Susannes gives me one of her patches, but it only works to a certain extent. Breakfast is out of the question. It's best if I go back to sleep. In between, I keep running to the toilet because my stomach is turning. At some point, I make myself a herbal tea and drink it very slowly, but it comes right back up. I try a travel chewing gum, but it shoots me off so much that I sleep for another 2 hours.

By now it's noon and the storm has calmed down a bit. I manage to drink some water and cook a tomato cup soup. Susanne is much more resistant to sea sickness than I am, but she also has a patch behind her ear now.

In the late afternoon, we arrive at the Faroe Islands. We make a short stop in the harbor but are not allowed to leave the ship. Some passengers disembark, while others come on board. It is very windy even in the harbor, and we have trouble not being blown away on deck.

Saturday, 04/09/2021

After almost a month on the road, we are just feeling lazy today, so we take a day off from traveling. We spend the whole day in the cozy communal area of the campsite, cooking, sorting photos, lounging around, and most importantly, not having to worry about freezing. We are not drawn to any sights, waterfalls, or hikes. In the evening, we take a short walk in the village just to stretch our legs. For the first time, we spend two nights in the same place because we feel at home here. We are almost alone, the village consists of only a few houses, there is absolute silence, and for once, no urge to do anything.

Sunday, 05/09/2021

The drizzle has now subsided and in the morning we take a small ferry to the island of Kalsoy. The ship can accommodate 12 cars and the journey takes only 20 minutes, with some nice views. On Kalsoy, there is only one road that we drive to the end and then take a short hike to the lighthouse. Luckily, the weather takes a break from the rain and we can relax and take photos. In the afternoon, we drive back and take a short stroll through Klaksvik until it starts raining again. For the night, we drive to Vestmanna to a campsite that is closed according to the signs. There is no one else there, but the bathing houses are still open and the WiFi is still working.

Monday, 06/09/2021

In the morning, I work in the bus for a while until someone comes and locks the facilities of the campsite. We were lucky to get here just in time, as the season seems to be over now. We find the next campsite in Sandavágur - it is open all year round. Since it is still raining and we have a lot to do, we continue working in the communal area there. We actually wanted to do a hike here, but with the fog and rain, we can't see anything of the beautiful landscape. In the evening, we still take a short sightseeing trip to Gásadalur - a small village where a tiny river forms a beautiful narrow waterfall that plunges down the over 30-meter-high cliff into the sea. Since the waterfall is very thin, it is easily blown by the wind and sometimes flows upwards instead of downwards in strong winds. We take a walk in the drizzle to get some exercise, but we would rather sit in one of the cute black houses in the village with a cup of hot chocolate in hand.

Tuesday, 07/09/2021

We work during the day, and the weather remains lousy. In the afternoon, according to the rain radar, a short break in the rain is supposed to occur, so we try our luck with the planned hike. The trail runs along an elongated lake that plunges into the sea as a waterfall at the end, with dramatic views of black, sheer cliffs. Unfortunately, we can't see any of it because the fog is so thick in the landscape that we can't even see from the cliffs to the sea level. Despite wearing rain pants and Gore-Tex hiking shoes, our socks are soaked in puddles in no time and after two hours of walking, we are wet to our underwear. This kind of weather is okay occasionally, but we are slowly getting tired of it.

Wet and freezing, we drive back to our first campsite where we have already spent two nights and warm up inside the bus.

Wednesday, 08/09/2021

After a slow morning at the campsite, we take a sightseeing tour by car. Surprise - it's raining. As a little highlight for me, we visit a pretty big yarn shop with a huge selection of yarns in all imaginable colors. Most of the wool is local from Faroese sheep and I stock up on a whole bag of skeins for knitting projects in the winter. I've taken on quite a task, but I really want to learn how to knit an Icelandic/Norwegian sweater.

We visit a few villages for the rest of the day, but only briefly get out of the car, look around, and get back into the dry bus. In the evening, the sun finally comes out again after days and we cook in Eiði while watching the sunset. Immediately, the colors of the hills over the fjords become beautifully colorful and vibrant. We spend a fourth night at our favorite campsite.

Thursday, 09/09/2021

Just like in Iceland, the weather wants to impress us one last time. On our last day here, we finally have good weather, so we decide to do the hike to the lake that falls into the sea again. Despite the good weather, we are almost alone on the trail, and it was definitely worth walking the route twice. The lake above the sea, the black cliffs, and the waterfall at the end make up for a lot.

In the evening, we drive to Tórshavn and once again spend two nights on the ferry. This time we have a simple room with three single beds, one of which is a bunk bed, so we can use one bed as a couch and storage.

Friday, 10/09/2021

We take it easy, watch most of the day on Arte on the TV in the room, and have a pizza for lunch in the restaurant. To avoid going stir-crazy, we walk the entire ship from top to bottom and from front to back. There is even a small pool, a gym, and a sauna on the lower deck, three restaurants and two bars higher up. There is also a small cinema. Not much else happens, and a day without cell phone reception and internet is also nice for a change.

Saturday, 11/09/2021

We arrive in Denmark around noon and drive a few hours south to meet up with a friend of Ben's. She and her family are staying in a vacation rental near Hvide Sande, and we are allowed to camp in front of the house. Temperatures above 20 degrees are now totally unusual for us, but they also feel really nice.

Sunday, 12/09/2021

Since good wind is forecasted today by chance (the whole last week seems to have been calm), we decide to stay here and look for a spontaneous kite surfing course that builds on our lessons in spring. We want to take advantage of the opportunity while we are in the windy north. We ask at the nearby windsurf school, but the kite surfing instructor is fully booked for the whole day. We are not quite ready yet to just rent equipment and go out on our own, but we agree with the school to rent a kite for two people and supervise each other. This works well and we spend the whole day together in the water until sunset.

Quite exhausted, we are allowed to shower in Ben's friends' vacation rental and cook something quick in the kitchen while we end the evening in the living room with super nice people and wine and homemade beer.

Monday, 13/09/2021

Since the wind is calm again, we continue our journey home in a relaxed manner. Our last overnight stay is in Hildesheim, where we meet another friend and cook and philosophize about God and the world until late at night in her tiny old town apartment. It's nice to be around people again after over a month of being just the two of us.

Tomorrow we will drive the final stretch home to the Oberpfalz region and spend the evening unpacking the bus, harvesting potatoes, and doing laundry.

Dear family, dear friends, dear followers, ....finally the time has come, my blog is online! My first stop on my trip to the Faroe Islands and Iceland with the camper van (including motorcycle and e-scooter, which prove to be very useful) was a short stopover in Hirtshals/Denmark (departure port towards the Faroe Islands and Iceland).

The first stormy night in the harbor gives me a glimpse of what awaits me in the North Atlantic, and I am not disappointed. My globetrotter shakes all night as if I were already on the ship. Unfortunately, the next morning doesn't look any better.

But during the crossing, the ship is calmer than expected. The good food, a beer, and the hot whirlpool with a view of the Norwegian coast sweeten the 'shaking'.

Arrival on 20.06.21 after 31 hours of driving. Everything is gray. I'm curious about what awaits me. Uncomplicated handling and a very nice welcome at the harbor and 5 more minutes on the campsite in Torshavn. Nice pitch directly by the sea for 120 Kroner per night. (After many plans to stay overnight in different places, I stay here for 10 full days) The location is an ideal central starting point to reach all the islands within an hour.

The stopover on the Faroe Islands towards Iceland (10 days) is absolutely recommendable. The islands and landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful and the Faroese residents are respectful, accommodating, helpful, and extremely friendly!

The further description of the trip to the Faroe Islands can be found below the pictures.