Faroe Islands

Breath taking coastal scenery, fascinating historical sites and rare wildlife will all be commonplace on this trip to sail the Faroe Islands. See standing stones and spitting geysers, golden eagles, otters, arctic foxes, whales and of course puffins! Witness a geological transformation as you leave the Mid Atlantic Ridge with its volcanic wilderness. No experience is needed to join this sailing voyage and you’ll learn everything you need to know on the go.

Faroe Islands are a group of 18 wild islands that are fully exposed to the raw power of the ocean giving them a truly isolated and untouched feel.

THE OLD TOWN OF TÓRSHAVN DAY 1

Tórshavn is located on the south-east coast of Streymoy, and home to around 15,000 inhabitants. At the heart of it is Tinganes, the historical old town which dates back to the 1400s. Tinganes is also home to the oldest parliamentary meeting locations in the world (dating back to the 800s) and is still home to the Prime Minister’s office.  A short walk from Parliament Point is Vestaravág, the colourful harbour area of Tórshavn, and home to a number of great restaurants, including Skeiva Pakkhus, which serves super modern Faroese cuisine in a tapas-like format. It’s also worth checking out Skansin, Tórshavn’s old fort which dates back to 1580. Although not a lot remains today, it does provide a nice out to Nolsoy, and back towards Tinganes and the rest of Tórshavn.

GÁSADALUR AND THE FAMOUS MÚLAFOSSUR FALLS DAY 2

Perhaps the most famous of all Faroese attractions is the stunning Múlafossur waterfall, located just south of Gasadalur village. Falling straight into the North Atlantic, the waterfall has become somewhat sensation in recent years. It’s utterly majestic.  The village of Gásadalur sits in the middle of this beautiful scene of towering mountains and grass-covered fields, all of which are the perfect backdrop to the famous waterfall. The town itself is typically Faroese, with small, grass-covered homes and a distinctly remote feel.

ISLAND OF MYKINES AND ITS PUFFIN COLONY DAY 3

Mykines is the breeding ground for a wide range of migratory seabirds, including the incredibly cute and clumsy Puffin. The western-most section of the island is covered with Puffin burrows and seabird nests, transforming it into a hive of colour and sound in summer months. The walk to the lighthouse at the tip of the island is an absolute must and will provide you with the most incredible views of the island

TOWN OF GJOGV DAY 4

The Faroe Islands are dotted with beautiful little towns, and in humble opinion, Gjogv is the most picturesque of them all. Located on the northern tip of Eysturoy, Gjogv is a village full of charm and visual appeal. Colourful timber-walled cottages dot the enclosed valley with a creek flowing straight through the middle of the town.
Gjogv is, however, most famous for its scenic 200m gorge, which is one of the best natural harbours in the Faroes and for centuries supplied the town’s once-thriving fishing industry. For the best view, we recommend hiking out to the left of the gorge and enjoying the views back over this beautiful little town.

KALSOY AND KALLURIN LIGHTHOUSE (Syðradalur) DAY 5

The long, thin island of Kalsoy is located in the northern part of the Faroe Islands archipelago and is famous for Kallurin lighthouse, positioned on what feels like the edge of the earth, perched atop dramatic cliffs which just straight out of the North Atlantic below. We also visit the Seal Woman statue in Mikladalur, and to learn about the folktale of how she is believed to still curse the men of the Island.

WEATHER

What surprises many is the relative mildness of the Faroese seasons. Despite the islands’ northern latitude location, summers are cool with an average temperature of 13°C, and winters are mild, with an average temperature of 3°C. This climate, classed as Maritime Subarctic according to the Köppen climate classification, is influenced by the strong warming influence of the Atlantic Ocean, which produces the North Atlantic Current. Summer days bring long hours of sunlight (19 hours, 45 minutes on the longest day, June 21). In contrast, days during the winter can be as short as 5 hours.

The Faroe Islands are unbelievable and the weather unpredictable. The ocean dynamics are changing frequently around the islands. Due to this phenomenon, the weather often shifts at a moment’s notice. This has lead the Faroe Islanders to refer to the archipelago as “The land of maybe”. One minute you might be battling gust winds from the North and the next minute you can embrace the calmness when overlooking spiky peaks or spectacular valleys. When the conditions change so fast, you will need to be well prepared for your Faroe Islands adventure.

Climb aboard, and join the crew. As a member of the crew, you’ll be expected to participate in daily activities necessary to keep everything shipshape. Getting to grips with the ropes and sheets, basic navigation skills and yacht maintenance, setting out the day’s aims according to the weather conditions and the schedule.

PASSAGE 
Tórshavn – Trongisvágur (Tvøroyri Harbour) – Mykines  (Gásadalur)– Mikladalur – Gjógv –  Syðradalur – Klaksvík – Tórshavn
By joining this trip you accept that the skipper has the final decision on activities and the itinerary with safety of crew and the yacht in mind.

DATE
24 Jun – 30 Jun 2024

COSTS

£1,250 + 500DKK contribution (food on board, fuel, marina fees, etc.)

HOW TO GET THERE 

The Faroes national carrier, Atlantic Airways, fly from Edinburgh (UK), Copenhagen (Denmark), Bergen (Norway), Reykjavik (Iceland) to Vagar airport year-round, with a flight time between 1-2 hours for each. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) also fly a route from Copenhagen too. Atlantic Airways flights also operate from Barcelona, Mallorca, Gran Canaria, and Malta. Prices are also pretty reasonable for the adventure of a lifetime; between £150 -250 return ticket

PASSPORT AND VISAS
UK, EU AND SCHENGEN COUNTRY ( NO VISA REQUIRED). For full list please go to:
https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/Words-and-concepts/US/Visum/Countries-with-a-visa-requirement-and-visa-free-countries