In late June 2025, I spent a long weekend travelling solo, exploring the Faroe Islands which sit halfway between Scotland and Iceland in the North Atlantic.Flying out from Edinburgh on a Thursday afternoon this super short 1hr 20 min flight took me to Vagar Island and the international airport. Not cheaply though – as with everything re the Faroes, it’s very pricey – £400 return.
Vagar is one of 18 islands that make up the Faroes savagely dramatic landscape of impossibly steep terraced mountains, endless sea lochs/fjords, waterfalls and towering cliffs: Europe’s highest cliffs are at Cape Enniberg on Vidoy island, rearing a staggering 754m (almost 2,500 feet) out of the ocean.
Given that many Faroes hikes can only be done with a guide and I was on my own in a very new environment, I only planned very short, light hikes though one attracted a hefty hiking fee. Tourism in the Faroes is taking off but this has led at times to a clash with farmers as many paths cross private farmland and footfall is increasing year on year.Fog is a major issue on the islands, blocking sight-lines of hiking posts when there is often no real path and given the regular crossing of very steep ground.
I thought I’d outline my experience of ‘strolls’ (no more than that really) in these Sheep Islands (as Faroes translate from Old Norse) and the impression they left on me. Essentially, the Faroes offer an amazing landscape, almost impossibly green in summer, clothed in wildflowers and loud with the haunting cries of Whimbrel and Oystercatcher.With quiet, top quality roads that put ours to shame, the islands are incredibly easy to navigate and driving is a pleasure.Mountain tunnels and sub-sea tunnels (two with roundabouts!) ensure that most of the main inhabited islands and some very remote communities are connected to each other. The Faroes are expensive to get to and stay but not quite as eye watering as Iceland or Norway. For lovers of wild, northern places, windswept places, they are well worth the effort.
Arrival evening: Vagar Island
At 5.30pm, my Atlantic Airways flight made its descent over Sorgvagsvatn, the Faroes largest lake.
The lake and clifftop viewpoint – Traelanipan – was also the first hike I planned to quickly fit in on landing, given the almost constant daylight in late June. Picking up a hired car from rentyourcar.fo (no paperwork, keys handed over in 2 mins after a cursory Licence check!) I headed off carefully (given the need to drive on the right hand side!) to the hike start point 10 mins away at Midvagar.
The map of my first evening’s driving route from Vagar to the Lake hike at Midvags Kirkja trailhead to Torshavn…
A slight detour to pick up some sustenance in atmospheric Fiskastykidd café in Sandavagar – rhubarb juice and carrot cake was about all that was left at 6pm before they closed.Rhubarb is the only fruit that grows in the Faroes so it features on every menu, in some form.Thankfully, I love it!
Sørvágasvatn – the Slave/Floating Lake
At 6pm, I parked at the small café signposted above the village of Midvagar which was the walk start.Paid my 200kroner (about £23) entry fee to a girl sitting knitting (appropriately enough as the islands are known for their superb knitwear) and set off, suited and booted.The weather was overcast, dry but quite mild…11C and I felt a bit over dressed.Had expected it to be much colder; but my big winter duvet jacket was overkill.Scoffed a bit of the Carrot Cake and a glug of Rhubarb Juice; the latter was odd, a sweet, fizzy drink tasting mildly of rhubarb.Not quite the healthy, refreshing fruit drink I’d imagined!
Good, well built path (which fees go towards) though not a particularly scenic walk as such until the cliffs are reached.
Lots of birdlife…Whimbrel very vocal as were Oystercatchers and an occasional Curlew given it was nesting/hatching time.Used my Merlin Bird App a lot throughout this trip to identify what I was hearing.Plenty of sheep about too – black, dark brown, beige rather than white…like large versions of the little Soay/St Kilda sheep in Scotland.
The walk scaled up in interest once I reached the cliffs of Trælanípan which were impressive.
The path to a small summit viewpoint was under repair but it was an easy pull up giving me a first look at the precipitous coastline of Vagar Island. In fact, I admired the coast so much I forgot to capture a photo showing the lake which looks as if it floats above the sea.Duh!That said, I did think that the ‘floating’ impression looks better in photos than in reality. Apparently (mostly British) slaves were thrown over the edge when they were deemed no longer useful to their Viking masters! Explored the area for about 40 mins or so before heading back.Good cliff scenery but not ‘amazing’ and not the best I was to see on the trip.
All in all, I was just over 2hrs for the whole visit.
Picked up some supplies at the Bonus supermarket in Midvagar (open till 11pm) then drove 45 mins to my Airbnb on the edge of Torshavn, the Faroes’ capital.Bigger city than I had imagined with Ring Roads round it.
Great accommodation, a pretty, spacious ground floor apartment within Hans and Diana’s spruce house surrounded by a lovely garden and decorated with hanging baskets.A very quiet house.
Day 2: Kirkjubour Historic Village, Oyggjarvegurin Mountain Road, Saksun Village and walk; Vestmanna Bird Cliffs (total 165km)
Driving Map: the red dot is Torshavn.
All of these sites were on Streymoy Island and the first, Kirkjubour was only a 15 min drive from Torshavn.I actually arrived at the latter super early about 7.45am, having barely slept! I rarely sleep well on a first night anywhere new plus I did feel quite excited about this solo trip finally happening.
Very scenic drive to get to the village (as all drives on the Faroes are)
Loved the location and surroundings as it was right on the shore; the average land height in the islands is 300m and many villages sit high above the ocean.
There was a traditional turf-roofed farm house lived in by the same family for 17 generations and other pretty buildings (turfed roofed houses are everywhere and are often a preferred choice on new houses though they cost a staggering £120K to install!) The main site was St Magnus’s Cathedral, built in the 1300s and once the seat of power in the islands. Well worth the visit.
Cloud was clearing so I decided to drive the Oyggjarvegurin mountain road to Saksun.This is the old road that used to be the main route to Torshavn.
Having worried it might be in poor condition and precipitous, it turned out to be as good a surface as every other Faroes road , plus plenty wide and not a bit nerve wracking! In fact, it was a stunning drive, as I was really high up all the time with terrific views over the mountains and the sea far below. Highly recommended and barely taking much more time than the newer main route through Streymoy Island.
Saksun /Duvugardur Historic Farm(300 yrs old)
SAKSUN was a superb place, wildly scenic. Duvugardur is the historic site a couple of miles from the village and made famous by its well photographed little white church. In fact, with the delightful church, the craggy steep mountains all around, a turquoise lagoon below and plunging waterfalls, I loved this whole area. It looked even better in reality than in any images I’d seen.
Paid the small fee to explore inside the old longhouse which was the main farm building and set out as it had been in the 17th century.
The Faroes are very good for always having a nicely set out walk that can be done by mostly anyone. The easy walk here began in Saksun village itself where there was a small car park.
I followed the signposted path down to the lagoon where some people were salmon fishing then out along the sands to the open sea.
It took about 30 mins brisk walk to the ocean itself though the walk is only possible at low tide.
What a fine, wild spot it was, with a black sand beach and crashing surf, steep mountains on all sides.Fulmars patrolling the crags, with many on their nests.Not a place to linger too long though as the tide comes in quickly through the narrow gorge.
Vestmanna
Great drive to this small fishing harbour where I did the 90 min boat tour to the bird cliffs.Boat was packed and needs advanced booking.
A superb trip on quite a big sea(I actually thought it might be cancelled), alongside jaw drop cliff scenery, in and out of rock arches and touching distance to towering needles of rock.The mountains rise to around 600m (2,000 feet) though fog meant we didn’t see the very tops.I was lucky because too big a swell/wind and it’s not possible to do this trip.
One warning – there were actually not that many birds, nor huge variety – or not compared to the world famous bird sites we have in Scotland.Our own cliffs are much more dense with the sheer number of birds quite overwhelming in sound, sight – and smell! here it was mostly Fulmars.However, the coast was brilliant to see and to me, a must do trip on the islands to get a sense of its incredible geology.
Back to base and the nice terraced cafe at Vestmanna…
Torshavn
The places most worthy of visits all seem to be about an hour’s drive from the capital so the city is a great place as a base for a short trip.I had some time this evening to explore the 17th century old town (Tinganes and Reyni areas), full of beautiful red and black buildings with turf roofs and which also house today’s Parliament and other government buildings.
You can walk freely through the tiny cobbled streets with the sea all around and the various harbours filled with a mix of pleasure boats, huge commercial fishing trawlers and cruise ships.Torshavn is a tidy well kept town, buzzy and interesting.Loved it.
Dinner in Aarstova, where I had a tasty Cured Salmon and Miso dish…
….an excellent local lamb shoulder (braised for 14 hrs!)main course…shoulder is always the most flavoursome but not often seen on menus so great to get that here.Served simply with its own gravy which really is the best way if it’s good lamb – gorgeous.
Then a rhubarb and cream dessert which was super simple (it was described as trifle but it was just stewed/roasted fruit and cream.However, beautiful.
Very generous portions! Everything served on old crockery which was charming. Not cheap at £80 but top notch.As with many restaurants, Aarstova is housed in an original turf roofed building by the harbour.
Next Day: Hvithamar Viewpoint Hike, Gjogv village and short walk; Tjornuvik
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