Eighteen islands of vertical grass and sea cliff in the North Atlantic, with more sheep than people, tunnels under the sea between them, and weather that changes every twenty minutes.
What it is
Eighteen islands halfway between Scotland, Iceland and Norway, an autonomous nation within the Kingdom of Denmark, with about 55,000 people and rather more sheep. Nothing is more than five kilometres from the sea, and most of the coastline is vertical.
There are almost no trees. The landscape is grass over basalt, cut into terraces by ancient lava flows, ending in cliffs of 700 metres. It looks like the Highlands with the volume turned up.
Getting around
Sub-sea tunnels connect the main islands, including one with the world’s only undersea roundabout, lit as an art installation. Some tunnels are tolled and the charge is collected automatically against your hire car.
Single-lane tunnels through mountains still exist on the smaller islands, with passing bays and a rule about who reverses. Read the signage.
Ferries and helicopters reach the outer islands. The helicopter service is government-subsidised, absurdly cheap, and one of the great transport experiences in Europe — but it is a public service, seats are limited, and you cannot book a round trip on the same day.
Where to go
Saksun — a turf-roofed church above a tidal lagoon.
Gásadalur — the waterfall dropping straight into the sea, which is the photograph that made the islands famous.
Kalsoy and the walk to the Kallur lighthouse, on a knife-edge ridge.
Mykines — a puffin island, reachable by ferry or helicopter in summer only, with numbers capped.
Sørvágsvatn — the lake that appears to sit above the ocean, an optical illusion that works from exactly one angle.
Tórshavn — one of the smallest capitals in the world, with a turf-roofed old town on a peninsula.
Access and fees
Almost all land is privately owned and several of the best-known walks now charge a fee, collected by the landowner, and require you to stay on the marked route. This is a response to erosion and to visitors walking through farms. Pay it, and do not treat the sheep tracks as trails.
Some routes require a guide. Check before you set off; the weather makes unmarked ground genuinely dangerous.
Weather
The defining condition. Forecasts are close to meaningless beyond a few hours, fog sits on the tops for days, and horizontal rain is normal in any month. Waterproofs top and bottom, and boots, are the minimum.
The islands run a good real-time webcam network, which is more useful than any forecast for deciding where to drive.
Costs
Expensive, on the Nordic scale. Accommodation is limited and books out in summer. Guesthouses and self-catering are better value than hotels, and the supermarkets are reasonable.
Eating out is limited outside Tórshavn, which has two of the most interesting restaurants in the North Atlantic and a booking window measured in months.