Faroe Islands – Streymoy and Eysturoy

Streymoy and Eysturoy are two of the largest islands of the Faroe archipelago. Exploring them properly would take weeks, if not months. Sadly, after all the other places we visited during our Faroe Islands trip, we just didn’t have enough time to give them any sort of justice. So instead of trying to come up with a comprehensive guide to these islands, I will just list a few of the most noteworthy locations. In my opinion, these are definitely worth checking out, especially for photographers.

Fossa Waterfall (Streymoy)

The place I really wanted to visit on Streymoy is the Fossa Waterfall. One of the highest waterfalls on the Faroes, Fossa is definitely one of the most impressive. The latter, however, comes with a bit of a catch. I’ve been to Fossa twice during my trip, and it looks very different depending on the weather. I can certainly say that the best time to see it is after heavy rain. The rainwater really gave strength to the waterfalls that just isn’t there otherwise. Below are the pictures of Fossa waterfall before and after the rain, so you can see the difference for yourself.

Getting to Fossa waterfall is extremely easy. Just follow the road that leads north to the village of Tjørnuvík (another location well worth exploring). Eventually, you’ll see it on your left-hand side. There’s some room to park your car and there are never too many people around. The waterfall is literally 2 minutes away from the road, but I still suggest having your hiking shoes on. The waterfall has two levels and if you want to see them both (as you should!), getting to the top one is going to require a bit of climbing.

There’s a poster next to the road that shows the way up. However, the path is pretty much non-existent, so in the end, we just found a place to the right of the waterfall where the rocks seemed less intimidating and climbed up on our own. If you’re in decent shape, you’ll have no problem doing the same. I wholeheartedly recommend it, because I found the upper terrace to be even more impressive than the lower one.

Tjørnuvík (Streymoy)

After seeing the Fossa waterfall, I also recommend continuing your way north from there until you reach Tjørnuvík. It’s a tiny but charming village. Although there’s not much to do around here, it’s a good place for sunset photography. You have a beautiful view of the fjord and two impressive rock pillars – Risin and Kellingin (the Giant and the Witch) – far in the distance. As with so many places on the Faroe Islands, there is a legend about them. You can read it here if you’re interested. There is also a nice little beach, probably one of the few on the Faroe Islands, for those brave enough to swim in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Saksun (Streymoy)

Another famous landscape photography location nearby is Saksun. The town is famous for its lovely fjord that you can walk on during the low tide. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to fully appreciate it. The only time we ever got to Saksun, it was windy and raining and the light was fading quickly. I only got one decent image, and it’s definitely a place to visit again next time I’m on Faroes. Even from this unlucky visit, I can tell that the place has a lot of potential and definitely worth exploring more.

Mountain ridge en route to Gjogv (Eysturoy)

One of the things we were planning to do on Eysturoy was climbing the highest mountain on all the Faroe Islands – Slættaratindur. Sadly, the weather had its say in those plans as well. As we arrived at where the hike starts, all we could see in every direction was a thick fog that just wasn’t going away. Climbing the mountain in these conditions made little sense. Instead, we decided to explore another ridge nearby that just happened to be high enough to offer impressive views of the fjords, but at the same time low enough to not be completely covered by fog and clouds.

The ridge I refer to is located on the right side of the road leading from Funningur to Gjogv. To the best of my knowledge, it is not indicated on any map. To find it just follow the above-mentioned road until you get to an S-curve. Keep going for another 100 meters or so and you will see a small pull-out area on the road. Leave your car here and just hike up the slope. Keep following the fence to your right until you reach the top. It is quite a steep hike, but very short. 20-25 minutes should be enough to get you to the top. Trust me, once you’re there, the magnificent views of the fjord from above will be well worth all the effort.

Eiði (Eysturoy)

The village of Eiði is another location that is definitely worth checking out, especially after heavy rain. There are a few interesting hikes around, some offering a closer view of the two cliffs you see from Tjørnuvík. However, the main attraction in my opinion is the waterfall on the coast. There is a short hike to get to it from the parking lot and a camping site on the northern side of the Niðara Vatn lake. Neither waterfall nor the trail is marked on the map. You will just have to trust me that they’re there. The waterfall is absolutely fabulous after the rain but if I were to guess, this might not be the best location to visit when it’s dry.

These locations are obviously barely scratching the surface of what both Streymoy and Eysturoy have to offer. Definitely make sure you explore on your own. Meanwhile, if any of the locations seem interesting to you, please also check out this Youtube video of mine where I get into further detail about all of them. I think you will find it enjoyable.