A Journey to the Faroe Islands: The Island of Vidoy

Faroe IslandsEuropeDenmarkNordic
Written By Christopher Kane

Vidareidi, Vidoy, Faroe Islands (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 s)

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**This post is the 7th of a 11-post series discussing what to see in this part of the Faroe Islands (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific island (just click on the island name to see the blog post. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**

The Faroe Islands, or the Faroes, are an archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean and are a part of Denmark. The subpolar oceanic climate, moderated by the Gulf Stream, make the temperature of the Faroes nearly constant throughout the year. Origins of the Faroe Islands date back as early as 500 AD, thought to be settled by people from Great Britain or Ireland. [Funfact: The population of sheep (70,000) outnumber the human population (54,000)]

Hvannasund, Vidoy, Faroe Islands (ISO 200, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/40 s)

In this blog post, I will cover the island of Vidoy. A Google Map of these places I will talk about can be seen at the end of this article. Check out my drone video on the island of Vidoy in the Faroe Islands below!

Vidoy is located to the east of Bordoy island and is the northernmost island in the Faroe Islands. It translates to ‘wood island’ even though there are not trees on it. It’s the furthest island away from Vágar that can be reached by car, a bit over 100 km away. There are just two settlements on the island, which I will discuss further in this post.

Vidoy, Faroe Islands (ISO 400, 40 mm, f/4.5, 1/1600 s)

Hvannasund village is on the west coast and reached as soon as you cross over from Bordoy. It is split by a rocky causeway that spans the bay. These little villages are so much fun to visit, just to see how the locals live and how simple and peaceful these surroundings are.

Hvannasund Church, Vidoy, Faroe Islands (ISO 400, 28 mm, f/4.5, 1/3200 s)

The Hvannasund Church, located within the village, was built by locals in 1949 and designed by H. C. W. Tórgarð, a Faroese architect.

The village of Vidareidi is located on the north part of the island and in fact the northernmost settlement in the entire country. The village is bigger than Hvannasund and marks the end of the road between Vágar and Vidoy, spanning all of Faroe (at least by car).

Getting here takes you through the Miðdalur Valley on the east coast of Vidoy with the occasional salmon cage off the coastline. No one knows exactly when Vidareidi was first settled but some people put the dates between 1350 and 1400.

If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Faroe, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames and Wooden-Frames).

The crown jewel of the town has to be its church, colloquially named Vidareidi Church. Though the building is not nearly as old as the town is (allegedly), its picturesque facade in the village, situated between two mountain tops and over sea cliffs make it such a joy to photograph.

Bordoy and Kunoy, Faroe Islands (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)

The mountain of Villingardalsfjall is located just north of the village. The hike will take you to the summit at 841 meters high with amazing views of the North Atlantic ocean and other Faroese islands.

It takes about 2 hours with decent fitness and you’ll be rewarded with views of Fugloy, Svínoy, Borðoy, Kunoy, and Kalsoy. You can choose to do this hike solo or part of a tour group (I prefer being solo for the solitude).

Malinsfjall is the pyramid shaped mountain to the south of Vidareidi village. Though not quite as tall as Villingardalsfjall, you can get roughly the same views of the surrounding area without having to sweat as much. Or you can do both!

Now of course, this is not a comprehensive list of what to see in Vidoy, however it should be a good representation of what you can expect when you visit. I will discuss more on what to see on each of the Faroese islands in future posts!

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Christopher Kane http://www.ecksplorer.com
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A Journey to the Faroe Islands: The Island of Kalsoy