Walk in the Clouds

Walk in the Clouds Hiking the faroe islands

The cover photo on this story is one of the most sought after views in the Faroe Islands. On the morning I visited, it was revealed to me only after I waited for about an hour for the clouds to clear.

The body of water on the left is known as Sørvágsvatn. It is the largest freshwater lake in the islands and at one end it empties into the Atlantic. From this perspective, high on a cliff overlooking the ocean, the landscape gives the illusion that the lake is higher than the surrounding sea. It is only an illusion, but having seen photographs of it, some travel long distances to take in this view.

The front gate to one of the Faroe Islands.

Hiking is the top tourist activity in the Faroe Islands. There are many trails you can find to take on your own and there are many guides who will help you along the way if you are interested in local knowledge and an extra feeling of security.

The weather is always changing and it is possible for a sunny day to turn cold and stormy quickly. It is possible to find yourself underdressed in near winter like conditions. It is possible to wander too close to the edge of a cliff. The trails I chose to walk were challenging in places, but safe. A guide wasn't necessary.

Waterfalls are everywhere. UR: Múlafossur is easy to get to and one of the most popular.

Like Iceland, the Faroe Islands are volcanic in origin. Unlike Iceland, the presence of lava rock and black sand at the surface is not as apparent. The landscape is mostly green. It reminded me of Ireland.

The inlets and mountains around the village of Gjógv.

You will find many hiking trails accessible from the side of the road. There are often designated parking areas. Parking is free as long as you stay within the posted time limits. Some of the most popular treks are managed by the government and require you to pay a fee, but I found that enforcement was very loose. Some fees are taken on the honor system and in one case a park manager told me I could come back on the following two days using the same ticket.

The next day I went back and told the attendant I wanted to use my ticket from the day before, she looked at me suspiciously, but then asked, "Was it cloudy yesterday?" I answered, yes, and then she said, "Then go ahead, enjoy."

Above: The hike to Sørvágsvatn is just a few minutes from the airport.

During my week in the Faroes it was almost always cloudy. At least in the morning. A few times the weather was so bad in the city of Torshavn, where I was staying, that I thought about just staying in all day. I'm glad I didn't, because I found that although the Faroe Islands cover a small area geographically, the weather changes from island to island and it is possible to drive through a deep fog, into a tunnel, and emerge in bright sunshine on the other side. That being said, only two out of my six days there were sunny from start to finish.

Sheep are everywhere. Be careful driving. They like to sleep next to the road.

I found the Faroe Islands easy to navigate. It is easy to find gas for the car. It is easy to see multiple islands and take more than one hike in a day. Good food can be hard to find in some locations so that's something you want to think about if you are heading out on the trail. Not every small town has a restaurant, or even a small diner, and some of the nicer restaurants in the city require reservations.

Since I was staying in an apartment with a kitchen, I used the local grocery stores in Torshavn and ate at home about 60% of the time I was there. I would recommend the seafood, including sushi, when you go out to eat, because it's local and you can taste the difference.

A mid-morning view from one of the peaks in Vagar as the cloud cover began to clear.