Days 4/5: Mulafossur, Drangarnir Boat trip, Kunoy Island (Northern Isles)
Mulafossur/Gasadalur
This a truly stunning place, photos don’t really do it justice in terms of the scale of the mountains and cliff scenery.(As this place is so close to the airport, it was a spot I’d thought of fitting in on my arrival day but decided that the weather was more suited to the hike.)
The viewpoint to the waterfall is barriered but the best photos are from slightly further down a wide path, again barriered. I waited 10 mins or so for the mist to clear from the big headland to see it all at its best. The emerald green of the landscape (throughout the Faroes, not just here, is quite something.)
On the final approach to Gasadalur village there’s a single track , shortish but straight tunnel to go through with plenty of passing places. Make sure you know whether you are in the direction to give way…going TO the site means oncoming traffic pull in for you; that reverses when you leave the area and it’s your turn to pull in. I had to pull in once going back through the tunnel as another car was coming but the passing places were very frequent and large. Which direction gives way is all indicated by red and black arrows at the tunnel entrance.
There is free parking and toilets in the village itself, a tiny place.
If there was a café, it was shut when I was there. As with many Faroes villages there is a nice easy walking route down to the viewpoint then it winds up behind the village and along by – more cliffs. I didn’t have time to carry on to the cliffs as I had a boat trip booked at 11.30am out of nearby Sorvagur.
I did have a little bit of time to have a wander through Bour village, a tiny, picturesque place. Lovely old church and the usual emerald green mountain backdrop. A small black sand beach. Very nice.It was only a short drive from here to the bigger town of Sorvagur.
Drangarnir Boat Trip (1 hr)
Life jacket on then a front seat on the RIB which whisked us out along the fjord on a very calm sea. A quick spin into Bour village where our guide was from…
an amazing sail right beside Mulafossur Waterfall – the trip highlight I thought – then we spun out to Drangarnir and the other rock stacks.
Some puffins nesting on the ledges…
More puffins on the water, quite close and watched them briefly.
Then through the arch itself and time spent just admiring the cliff scenery.
There was a walking group on the Vagar cliffs overlooking Drangarnir and I did think that on the RIB we were getting a much better view and for a lot less effort.
Drangarnir Arch…
Spectacular going through the rock arch…
…and getting up close and personal with the stacks.Nesting Fulmars and kittiwakes…
After an hour, back to Sorvagur…
Not as spectacular a trip as Vestmanna but enjoyable.
Kunoy Island
I was keen to see something of the Northern Isles so I committed to a 90min or so drive across Vagar, Streymoy, Eysturoy and Bordoy to Kunoy. Originally, I had planned the Kallur Lighthouse walk on Kalsoy but the ferry company cancelled my car reservation due to technical issues. I didn’t fancy spending most of a day over on Kalsoy doing just one short walk and dependent on the bus so I decided to scrub it altogether and prioritise the Hvithamar /Gjogv, Tjornavik day.The high winds that day would not have made the Lighthouse walk very enjoyable in terms of going out along the very narrow cliff top path with steep drop off; there have been tourist fatalities out there.Plus, I wasn’t entirely sure I would even want to do the final narrow section for the classic view.
The weather for today had started very poor in Torshavn with fog almost to sea level but it had turned out fine on Vagar Island, thankfully.The wind direction makes a huge difference re which islands remain clear and which can be shrouded in fog.Turns out, I picked a good day for the northern drive as the wind was coming from the south west – meaning Torshavn/Streymoy Island took the hit.The further north I went, the clearer it became.
I’m so glad I did this long but easy drive (though it was expensive as I used subsea tunnels – £50!) arriving in Klaksvik around 2pm. Couldn’t find the nice café I’d read about so pushed on through the very busy town (2nd largest on the islands) and headed for Kunoy.
The sharp, jagged outline of the mountains in this part of the island chain is amazing and intimidating; steeper than ever! Where to walk??
The sun had come out now and everything looked just beautiful. Kunoy was only another 10 mins or so from Klaksvik across a causeway and through a tunnel.
What a gorgeous setting it has!
Parked outside the village , another tiny place, no café, toilets in the empty community centre and just strolled round the old houses, admiring the savagely lovely scenery.
Once more,there was a nice easy walking route above the village using an ‘agricultural’ path which ended in a small forestry area. The mountains were clearing of their earlier mist and it all looked stunning.Tjornavik and Kunoy were my favourite villages on the Faroes with the former my No 1.
Spent about an hour just enjoying the stroll, admiring the surroundings and looking across to Kalsoy Island which is reached by car ferry from Klaksvik.Pedestrians are met by a bus which services each ferry arrival and departure.
Big drive back to Torshavn where I had dinner booked in Katrina Christiansen at 6.30pm.This place came highly recommended so I had booked it a week or so before I arrived (as I did with Aarstova too.) A slightly odd tasting salmon starter plus tasty prawn sesame toast.I ate to much of this-very filling. The main course of lamb was really delicious, (‘only’ cooked for 6 hours but it was as tender and tasty as Aarstova’s 14 hr version!)
This was served with an excellent spicy sauce, unusual but it worked really well.A pistachio/walnut salad served with it plus mushrooms and potatoes – generous portions! Lastly, a not-too -successful Buttermilk Mousse. Some good bread served with everything. Lovely place inside, a conversion of an old building.
As with Aarstova, good music playing – this time, the theme music from Sleepless in Seattle! A really good experience all round.
Day 5: Heading home
After tidying up things at the Airbnb, I parked on the edge of Torshavn again and was sitting with tea and (a very small!) piece Banana Cake in the lovely Paname Café in the town’s main square.
The café is located in the iconic red, grass roofed building which also houses the islands’ oldest bookshop and gift shop – Jacobsens where I picked up some small gifts to take home for the family.
Nice Banana and Chocolate cake though it was tiny! About half what we’d serve at home.Very good though.
A last look at Torshavn…
A quick pop into the local Shopping Complex, a few mins drive from the centre…very smart…
Another quick look at the attractive Nordic House (by car.) While the building is very impressive and has a café, it is mainly a performance space.Beautifully done.Handy to get to, being on the Northern Ring Road.
I’d wanted to see the Art gallery but it had late opening so headed for the Museum in nearby Hoyvik. Not an attractive building but interesting inside though dimly lit.
Viking remains…
And coinage…
The superb carved wooden Pew ends from St Magnus Church in Kirkjubour, were fantastic. I also enjoyed the presentation of the fishing industry on the islands, so vital to their economy.
A 40 min drive took me back to very small (therefore enjoyable!) Vagar Airport and a few hours wait for my flight home.
Comments about the Faroes
An expensive destination as are all Scandinavian countries.
Everybody speaks great English and offer to speak it immediately (albeit I always feel a bit embarrassed at not knowing their language.)
Roads are tip top and quiet. Very easy to drive.
Plenty of really atmospheric cafes all over the islands.
One island might be in fog while another is in sunshine – it can all depend on wind direction. Check locally where the best weather is before heading out, there can be a huge difference between islands.
Petrol stations are very frequent on the main routes. Most also have a minimarket.
Bonus Supermarkets are well stocked and open till 10pm.
87% of Faroese men have Scandinavian DNA; 84% of women have Scots/Irish DNA. The Vikings took Celtic wives!
The average annual islands’ temperature is 3C-11C.Being so maritime, snow doesn’t last too long. Denmark has colder winters than the Faroes.
annestravelsandhikes.com 