Faroe Islands: hikes and tips
Here are some tips to better prepare you for your Faroe explorations, and some recommended hikes to enjoy the most memorable views.
HIKES FOR EVERY TASTE
It's not about climbing impassable peaks, high rocky ranges or reaching outposts wedged in the mountain after hours of walking. In the Faroe Islands, the beauty of hiking is that even with a walk of an hour or so, you will be able to enjoy breathtaking views.
The gentle volcanic heights, plateaus and cliffs that slowly rise above the sea offer hiking opportunities even for the inexperienced and for families with children, provided you are well prepared to tackle them.
BE PREPARED FOR ANY CLIMATE
Even in summer, the Faroe Islands are certainly not a hot place. The highs hover around 13 degrees, but we rarely enjoyed these temperatures during our trip. In fact, the constant wind and sudden, persistent rains will rather make you feel 6 or 7 degrees cooler.
Bringing warm and waterproof clothing is essential, a windbreaker, backpack covers and hiking boots even more so. A pair of gloves is not a bad idea, especially if you do some photography. Having hiking boots rather than sports shoes is most important, because together with a pair of trekking poles, they will prevent you from slipping and falling on the archipelago's muddy, rough trails.
THE WEATHER IS MORE STABLE IN THE EVENING
From our experience, rain and fog were much more frequent in the morning, while arriving at dusk, the weather was often much better for a hike. We were only able to benefit from continuous light (it is never deep dark in summer, and you can trek without aids for 24h) for one hike, having traveled with very young children. But if you have the chance, try some evening treks: the peace, the absence of people, and the clearing mists will surely repay you for your choice.
PREPARE YOUR WALLETS
In the Faroe Islands, most of the excursions, and certainly the best known ones, are fee-based, as the routes cross privately owned territories. The rates are definitely high, as much as 30-50€ per person, but often you will not be able to avoid paying these amounts if you want to see the most symbolic places on the islands.
In addition, many excursions, especially the longer and wilder ones, are mandatory to be done accompanied by a guide, as the routes are not marked and weather changes can also make orientation difficult. Guided hikes cost a few hundred euros and must be booked in advance, but guides are very flexible in cancellation, especially for adverse conditions.
BRING PROVISIONS
There are no services along the trails and no huts or cafes, as we are used to in other hiking areas, so prepare your food and water supplies well, enough for the duration of the hike.
3 EPIC HIKES
Now you have the right equipment, plenty of supplies and an understanding of the weather conditions, you can choose a hike that suits you and enjoy the pristine nature of the Faroe Islands. To give you a good overview of what these wild islands have to offer, we’ve narrowed our selection down to three (family-friendly) hikes.
1.Kallur Lighthouse
Island: Kalsoy
Difficulty: easy
Length: 3.8 km
Elevation gain: +130 m, -200 m
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes (round trip)
Equipment required: walking boots and poles
This fee-based hike starts from the small village of Trøllanes. The first section is steeper and muddier, so you'll need the right equipment. After 10 minutes, however, you'll find yourself on an easy, gently ascending and descending path through soft pastures dotted with fluffy sheeps. The route to the lighthouse, which offers beautiful ocean and cliff views, takes about an hour to walk and is easy.
The most striking view from the lighthouse is from a rocky outcrop, which you can reach by taking turns with other walkers on a narrow path overlooking the sea.
2.Trælanípa (Lake above the Ocean)
Island: Vagar
Difficulty: moderate
Length: 6.6 km
Elevation gain: +/- 85 m
Duration: 2.5 hours (round trip)
Recommended equipment: trainers
This walk is famous for its view of Lake Leitisvatn, which appears to be suspended over the ocean from the viewpoint at the very end of the trail. Although mainly moderate in difficulty due to its length, it leads along the lake’s shores to a breathtaking panorama of the steep cliffs of the island of Vagar.
The trek begins in the village of Miðvágur, near the airport. The car park and the start of the trail are easily identifiable. There is a kiosk with a gate where you pay to begin the hike.
The route is mostly flat, except for the final section leading to the top of the cliffs.
You will reach a dizzying cliff with sheer walls overlooking the sea and a pleasant meadow above it. You can then descend towards the end of the lake, where it flows into the sea via a waterfall surrounded by dark, wind-swept rocks.
3. Unmarked hike in Gàsadalur
Island: Vagar
Difficulty: moderate/difficult
Distance: 6.6 km
Elevation gain: +/- 470 m
Duration: 3 hours (round trip)
Equipment: trainers
Starting from the tiny village of Gásadalur, this unsignposted hike winds through wetlands criss-crossed by small streams and grazed by sheep. It follows a well-trodden path hidden amongst the tall grass and reaches a telecommunications mast at the top of a deep hollow. This mast is therefore served by a clear service track.
We walked this solitary path in the midnight light, in complete silence, accompanied only by a few local animals watching us suspiciously. The climb is concentrated entirely in the final stretch of the route and is quite strenuous, but it rewards you with one of the most mystical panoramas you will ever see. Thanks to the sun setting and colouring the clouds red, and the otherworldly silence, the view from this point is breathtaking. It stretches over the cliffs and fjords of the coastline with sheer drops to the sea and wisps of mist creeping between their folds and waterfalls plunging into the sea. For us, this was the most beautiful hike of our trip to the Faroe Islands. Make sure you choose the right time and day for this hike, as the peak is easily shrouded in fog, which completely obscures the view.
Other short excursions you can undertake include walking along the cliffs near the village of Gjógv, where puffins also nest, and taking a guided tour of the island of Mykines. There, a local guide will take you up onto the cliffs to admire the island’s largest puffin colony.
