Tjørnuvík in the Faroe Islands

by Malte Clavin

Talking about a revolution (Issue II/2020)

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The little village Tjørnuvík, located in the Eastern part of the island Streymoy. Photo: Malte Clavin


It is as if the world ends in Tjørnuvík, east of Streymoy, the largest of the Faroe Islands. There are only about sixty people living in the few houses in this village with their typical Faroese green roofs. Only in the morning, sun rays reach the village, disappearing shortly afterwards, sinking behind the mountain range. Along the steep coast a cul-de-sac connects the village with the rest of civilisation. For visitors without a head for heights, the trip down to the village is a real challenge. As a hiker you can walk from Tjørnuvík to the next village Saksun.

The approximately seven-kilometre-long path is decorated with wild orchids, buttercups and cloves. If you want to set out in bad weather, you should definitely replace your functional clothing with a traditional sweater. It is easy to slide on the steep slope behind the village of Tjørnuvík and, according to locals, knitted sweaters form a natural set of brakes, meaning this does not happen. On the beach of Tjørnuvík the crystal clear sea roars, sending big waves onto the black sand.

From here you can look out over two famous natural monuments: At the tip of the neighbouring island of Eysturoy, the rocks Risin and Kelligin rise up, a giant and a troll woman according to legends. These said they were once commissioned by Iceland to draw the Faroe Islands closer to them, so that they would no longer drift alone in the Atlantic Ocean. But the giant and the troll woman were only allowed to work at night. Completely immersed in their task, they forgot their brief. Then, when day broke, they turned to stone.



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