Sep 18, 20204 min read

Saying goodbye to the gem that is the Faroe Islands

Updated: Apr 19, 2021

Four weeks in Fuglafjørður allowed us to sprout little roots and grow attached to the place. It was a very easy thing to do considering the beauty of the place and the truly amazing people we met and have become friends with. The weather slowly started to display signs of winter, so in parallel with enjoying the place, we were watching the weather forecast with greater intensity than boxset binging. Scary weather systems were rolling around so once we spotted a weather window, we took the opportunity to get to the most southern island of the Faroes to better position ourselves for sailing south. On the rainy morning of our departure our Faroese friend, Eileen, came to say goodbye and brought us some freshly home baked bread rolls! I tried not to get too emotional at the farewell, but it didn’t work! How could it after all the great times together and the forming of a friendship.

We arrived in Tvøroyri, on the island of Suðuroy after eight hours of motoring in splendid sunshine and very little wind. The colorful town located around the shores of the fjord turned out to be another little gem and a feast for the eyes with colorful houses overlooking the water. We moored alongside a wooden jetty beside a beautiful wooden boat built in 1939, and set out to explore.

We had a walk around the cool little town and were impressed with the facilities. It is remarkable as the Faroe Islands has a small nation of around fifty thousand people, ten thousand out of which work or study abroad, so the towns are small by the European standards but perfectly well equipped.

The most outstanding building in the town is the church. Many churches around the Faroe Islands were strategically built in locations where they would be the last thing fishermen would see when going to sea and their first sight on return. This was very important as the sea around the Faroe Islands can have treacherous tides and winds and sadly many seafarers have been lost at sea over the years. We entered the church and found it heated, cozy, beautiful and quiet. Model sailing boats hang from the ceiling and we also saw this in the church in Fuglafjørður when Eileen showed us around. This further demonstrates the lifelong links between the Faroese and the sea.

Following a recommendation from the artist who owns the gallery called ‘Fjord’ in Fuglafjørður, we headed to Café MorMor for lunch. What a fantastic place! The daily menu was set and didn’t list the ingredients of the available dishes which were limited to panini, soup and two kinds of cake. No vegan option, no gluten-free option, no fussy-type option. We didn’t ask either, just ordered. Places like Café MorMor make you realize that there is such a thing as too many choices! How have humans become so fussy? The card terminal was temporarily out of order but the café’s owner, unphased by the consequences, announced that we could come back with cash later! What a vote of confidence! While waiting for our paninis, cakes and chai lattes we admired the rustic décor of the place which consisted of a fabulous collection of old furniture, small gizmos of everyday use, pictures, paintings by local artists, stuffed birds and remnants of past époques. There were no warnings of the high threshold of a door that everyone merrily and jovially tripped over and no complaints either, just laughter. What a great way to be and a change from the “eggshell skull” rule that seems to take over the rest of the world. Once again, how have humans become so fussy in most other places?

To our delight we were served the best focaccia bread panini with pesto, Parma ham, mozzarella, avocado and tomatoes. I could have had it again for dessert but I got a slice of delightful cheesecake and Mark got fresh baked banana bread. Everything was delicious, service was amazing, the owners were very friendly and skillful enough to fix the card terminal so we didn’t have to look for an ATM.

Our few days in Tvøroyri have been marked with mostly sunny weather and we decided to turn over a new leaf and start getting up early enough to go for a walk before I start work. This has been both good and bad for our figures as we discovered a traditional bakery and made morning pastry shopping a habit during our stay here. Never mind the effect on our waist lines, as it enhanced the morning coffee no end! The morning walks here are a feast not only for the sense of taste but also for the eyes. You can tell by now how we feel about this land, but it really is that beautiful!

Tomorrow at 2 am the plan is to push off, leave the Faroe Islands behind and head back to the UK. We hear the UK is currently gripped by a fresh wave of virus fever pitch so we will have to wait and see what this means for us. Faroe Islands, we are going to miss you, but we will be back and if we are not allowed back into the UK, this could be sooner than we expect!