About halfway between Iceland and Norway, to the northwest of Scotland, is a tiny speck of lands, the Faroe Islands, and most people have never heard of it. A group of 18 mountainous islands and 761 smaller islets, they incorporate about 540 sq miles (1,400 sq kilometers) - a total land area just a little bigger than the city of Los Angeles. The Faroe Islands are self governed but belong to the Kingdom of Denmark. They are home to about 54,000 people and 70,000 sheep.
Despite the small size and remote location, the Faroes offer some unique sights to its visitors. This must have also been the thought of the Vikings who discovered the islands in the 8th century and quickly established the first settlements. There are theories of an earlier, failed, settlement by possibly Irish monks, about 300 years before Viking arrival, but they so far remain unproven. The islands were uninhabited when the Vikings arrived.
I traveled the Faroes with a group of landscape photographers. To get these shots, we took a boat to Tindhólmur, itself also visually very dramatic, hiked up the steep cliffs and then had the perfect view of the famous sea stacks. The little speck on the tip of the outcropping (above, right) is a person, way, way below my view point.
One thing you learn right away when you venture out on the Faroes - you cannot be afraid of heights, or muddy and slippery sheep trails that are covered in an abundance of manure. Toughen up, princess!
To get a good view of this lake, you first have to hike up the cliff of Traelanipa. Of course, it was windy and rainy while hiking up in the dark early morning. Once up, strong winds threatened to blow everything off the cliffs, but you needed to be at the edge to get a clean shot.
This particular cliff has a gloomy story attached to it. The cliff's name translates into “Slave Cliff”, and it used to be the site where Viking settlers would push disobedient slaves, mostly women from Ireland and Scotland, down 466 feet (142 m) into the sea.
In case you are wondering about the barrenness of the landscape and the lack of trees, the Faroes were devoid of forests by the time the vikings arrived. They found only low growth of junipers and aspens which were quickly used up by the early settlers. The introduction of sheep, goats, and cattle did the rest.
Quickly the settlers came to realize that sheep were the only livestock that could survive in the long run. Sheep wool became their main trading good in exchange for tools and all other necessities. Vikings could travel the 520 miles from the Norwegian coast in only 24 hours and thus frequent trade trips were possible, giving the settlers a lifeline.
Looking at a map of the islands, and keeping in mind the steepness of the cliffs, you can imagine how difficult it is to travel from one place to another. It is either winding roads, boat/ferry, or costly tunnels. The construction of today's elaborate tunnel system began in the 1960s, and the archipelago now hosts a total of 19 tunnels. Two of the tunnels are undersea tunnels, and one tunnel boasts the world's first underwater roundabout.
Faroes' only airport was built by the British during WW II and is located on the western island of Vagar. Nearby Torshavn is the capital and economic hub.
Did I mention that the Faroes are very windy and rainy? Throughout the trip (mid September), the temperatures were very cold - from high thirties to mid fifties at best (2 C - 12 C) - and always a strong wind blowing. It rains on average 280 days a year, with multiple rain showers on most days. Dense fog is also frequent. These wet atmospheric conditions, coupled with sun rays breaking through, can make for spectacular light, but you have to be quick and ready to capture it. The light show in the above image lasted only a few seconds, and I was lucky to capture it on camera.
The Faroe islands are of volcanic origin and were broken off from Greenland and Iceland. Volcanic eruptions have ceased, and today the most active force shaping the islands comes from the ocean storm breakers that are steadily eating away at the cliffs.
Funningur itself is one of the oldest villages in the Faroe Islands, with picturesque colorful houses, some even with the traditional grass roof.
An ancient proverb says "Wool is Faroese Gold". Faroe's approx. 70,000 sheep live semi-wild in the mountains where they fend for themselves throughout the summer, but are being sheltered and supplied with extra rations in the winter. Wool production is still a relevant industry but salmon is by far the biggest money maker now.
What is next for the Faroe Islands? Oil and gas exploration continues and there are indications of some fields claimable by the Faroes, but so far they are only marginally attractive. Tourism promises to be the more successful venture. In 2019, the islands received about 2 million visitors, twenty times the number of inhabitants. One could describe the Faroes as Iceland's quirky cousin as they are very similar in many things. However, the Faroes are less diverse in landscape and environment, and a lot less developed. Outside of Thorshavn, there are barely any hotels or restaurants. And if, they are extremely basic, a lot like Iceland was 10-15 years ago. But visitors are coming - for music festivals, adventure, birding - and infrastructure will improve. If you have an opportunity to visit, take it. But remember to dress warm!
Thank you for reading. If you want to see more of my work, check out my website and follow me on Instagram. Previous issues of my blog can be found here.
Last, but not least, I would like to thank the organizers and guides for this adventure: Icelandic "Sky God" Thor Jonsson and Irish "Shepherd" Peter Gordon. Well done! No loss of lives besides a noisy drone.