September 8: Plan B (Saksun, Tjornuvik & Gjogv)

It was a busy day but not as originally planned.  Our 9:30 am fishing charter was canceled due to heavy winds. So we went with an amazing plan B, which included stops at Saksun, Tjornuvik, and Gjogv.  

At Saksun, we first enjoyed a short walk to a black sand beach where we dipped into a valley with spectacular views of the ocean, waterfalls and a jaw dropping lagoon that was surrounded by green covered mountains.  From here, we drove two minutes to an incredible vantage point overlooking the valley below along with an elegant church, charming turfed-roofed houses, and majestic horses grazing on the lush green carpet. According to the Faroe Island Travel Guide, “Saksun is a remote little village on Streymoy island in the wild Faroe Islands. The village is famous for its unique location placed above a jaw-dropping lagoon.”

Our drive to Tjornuvik was unbelievable but was ultimately overshadowed by the views at our destination.  With a population of 72 residents, this tiny village boasts a stunning mountain range and beautiful bay with black sand beach. As noted in the “Visit Faroe Islands” website, “Tjørnuvík is among the oldest villages in the Faroe Islands. Viking graves have been found in the eastern part of the valley, proving that the area has been inhabited since the first Vikings came to the islands. From the beach you have a view of the two freestanding rocks known as Risin and Kellingin (the Giant and the Witch), who, according to legend, tried to drag the Faroe Islands to Iceland.” We saw several photographers capturing the image of these two large rock formations during our short visit.

Our last stop was to Gjogv, a village located on the northwest tip of the island of Eysturoy.  According to Wikipedia, “The village was named after a 200-meter long sea-filled gorge that runs north to the sea from the village.” The gorge and colorful houses of the village provided a breathtaking landscape for picture from the vantage point high above the quaint village.   The walk to the top was exhilarating as we got to experience the intense winds that almost literally swept us off our feet.  At this point, we clearly understood the decision made by our fishing boat charter captain earlier in the day.

After getting our race number, we ended up at Torshavn Camping where we crashed for the evening.