A foray to Norðoyggjar, the North Islands of the Faroes, reveals charming villages and spectacular scenery. A hiker’s paradise, it is worth going that one step further to visit them. 

Klaksvik, the second largest city in the Faroe Islands, is situated on the island of Borðoy. It is likely to grow further as it is now linked to Tórshavn by the direct and rather expensive (DDK 175 one way) sea tunnel Eysturoyartunnilin.

Entering from Eysturoy, the shorter tunnel is DDK 100 return. Either way, at the first roundabout one encounters a giant silver fishing hook, demonstrating the importance of the fishing industry to the town. Today, farmed salmon is a major income source as well as the large ocean trawlers.

To put it all in perspective, head to Klakkur, the mountain above the town. It is possible to park 1.2 km from the summit and for an easy 150 m ascent, there are incredible views over the fjords and the islands of Kunoy, Kalsoy and Eysturoy. 

Our first stop in the north islands was the magnificent island of Kalsoy, covered in a separate article. With its isolated villages, rugged scenery and iconic lighthouse – not to mention a naked selkie – it was one of our highlights of the Faroes. 

KUNOY

Kalsoy shadows the west coast of Kunoy so we were already acquainted across the fjord. So on our return to Klaksvik, it was our first port of call. It is easily accessible via a short causeway just to the north of Klaksvik.

There is actually a limited amount to see, unless you are prepared to walk it’s rugged spine. There are only 134 people living on the island but the main village of Kunoy is a worthwhile detour via a direct tunnel from the causeway. 

It sits in a bowl along an otherwise precipitous face with a patchwork of ancient fields fringing it. If you are lucky enough to see it from Kalsoy or the sea then it is a very impressive location. 

We parked our car by the church and did a short loop walk along a track through old fields to reach a small plantation, huddled at the base of the bowl above the village.

On entering it, one is immediately transported to the delights of a forest. Whilst pines provide windbreaks on the edges, inside there are birch and beech trees. A path runs alongside a pretty stream and wends on past a giant boulder.

Emerging via a small picket gate at the top, the high mountains of the bowl loomed above us, waterfalls falling down their faces: it was a sublime view. We followed a fence to our right which led back to the village.

On the eastern side of the island, a 6.5 km 2 hour walk north of the causeway, is the abandoned village of Skarð. I saw an article saying the village demonstrated the adage of ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’ which seemed a bit harsh albeit true. 

Several local men had already been lost at sea in two separate incidents, when on December 23rd,1913, the last 7 able bodied men of the village set off in a fishing boat, never to return.

Only an old man and a boy of 14 were left and life became so difficult that the remaining villagers abandoned the village in 1919 in favour of Haraldssund, the village at the causeway. Now only crumbling stone ruins and a memorial remain. 

There is a basic free shelter where one can spend the night. It is possible to walk to Kunoy village via the gorge above the ruins, which reaches an elevation of 618 m, although apparently it is quite a challenging route. 

BORÐOY 

Once back on Borðoy, we headed to the north of Borðoy to the abandoned village of Múli. In 1970 it was the final place in the country to get electricity, but it wasn’t enough to stop the last people leaving in 1992.

It is a scenic drive to reach it, on bitumen, with parking just on the edge of the village. It does not actually feel that abandoned as most of the houses have been kept in order and are obviously being used as summer homes. 

Hay making was going on frantically in the fields and it is possible to take a short walk along the headland to a deep gorge, with good views over the fjord to the more popular Viðareiði. 

VIDOY

Viðareiði is the most northernmost village in the Faroes and enjoys a spectacular location. The perfectly shaped pyramid of Malinsfjall at 751 m towers over the village and it’s church.

This was locked as usual although they may have more cause than most: to thank the villages for their help to the shipwrecked Marwood in 1847, the British presented a silver altar. 

From the graveyard there are good views to the dark northern faces of Borðoy, Kunoy and Kalsoy. 

To the other side another high rugged mountain is visible: Villingadalsfjall at 844 m – or it would be on a good day, it was always covered in cloud on our visit.

There is now a DDK 200 fee to climb this (pay in cash into a box at the gate, the one with ‘we trust you to pay’ written on it!). From the summit, the track goes on another couple of kilometres to the 754 m high Cape Enniberg, the highest sea cliff in Europe. It looked as if this was covered by the same fee at the moment and there is nothing to stop you carrying on from Villingadalsfjall, although other reports now claim a guide must be used which starts at DDK 2,800

There are two other islands which are quite small and only reachable by ferry: Svínoy and Fugloy. There is little to do other than enjoy the scenery, birdwatching and hiking.