Borðoy

Borðoy, Faroe Islands

Háfjall rises above the red and white houses of Klaksvík and its bay, lit by low amber sunset light on a June evening.

Borðoy is a steep, green island of fjords, tunnels and empty valleys, and a practical base for the wild Northern Islands.

The place

Borðoy lies in the north-east of the Faroe Islands, and its name is usually understood as 'headland island'. About 5,534 people live here, most of them in Klaksvík, the second-largest town in the archipelago and the working centre of the Northern Islands. The island has eight settlements in all, including Norðoyri, Ánir, Árnafjørður, Strond, Norðtoftir, Depil and Norðdepil, though outside Klaksvík these are small clusters of houses along the water's edge. The land climbs steeply to a highest point of 755 m, so the island feels like a ridge of green and grey mountains with the town set in a bay between them. Fjords cut in from both sides, which is why the roads here twist, tunnel and cross causeways. Borðoy is also the hinge of the region. A long tunnel links it to Eysturoy and the main road network, and from Klaksvík further roads, tunnels and short ferries lead to Kunoy, Viðoy, Kalsoy and beyond. Many visitors treat it as a base for the northern islands rather than a single destination, and that suits it well. The weather is changeable, often wet and windy, and cloud can drop onto the peaks within minutes. In return, the light after a shower is striking, and the harbour at Klaksvík offers a plain, working view of Faroese life, with fishing boats, a few shops and modest crowds even in summer.

Its story

Borðoy's recent history is easiest to read in the empty places on its northern edge. Three settlements there have been abandoned: Skálatoftir, Múli and Fossá. Múli was among the remotest villages in the Faroes. No road reached it until 1989, so supplies came by boat or, when the sea refused, by helicopter. The last residents left in 1994, and the houses now stand as a record of how hard it became to keep a community alive on a stretch of coast with no easy link to anywhere else. Fossá has a different story. A museum in Klaksvík bought the land in 1969 with the idea of rebuilding a typical medieval Faroese village there. The plan never came to fruition, which leaves the valley as it is, a place where an unfinished intention is as visible as the ruins. Older layers belong to the landscape and to storytelling. The mountains are stacked sheets of volcanic rock, cut by ice and the Atlantic into the steep fjords that make travel here a matter of tunnels and causeways. Folktale fills the gaps in the written record. The seal woman, commemorated by the statue Kópakonan on neighbouring Kalsoy, is a familiar figure in Faroese stories. In the tale she leaves her skin to take human form, and the trouble that follows when it is hidden is still told to children and visitors alike.

What to see

Culture

Borðoy's culture is that of a fishing and farming community in a small country with its own language. Faroese is spoken everywhere, and Danish and English are widely understood, so a few words of greeting in Faroese are warmly received. Klaksvík grew around its harbour, and the rhythm of boats coming and going still shapes the town more than tourism does. Outside the town, life is close to the land. Sheep graze the hillsides, hay and peat have long been part of the year's work, and many families keep links to outlying villages that are now much emptier than they once were. The loss of places such as Múli is part of local memory, and people speak of it with feeling rather than nostalgia. Churches are simple, mostly white or dark-timbered buildings with grass roofs or neat slate, and they remain in everyday use rather than being kept as museums. Storytelling is a living tradition: ballads, chain-dance songs and folktales about seal women, trolls and hidden people are still shared, and the statue of Kópakonan on Kalsoy is a reminder of how much of the landscape carries a story. Visitors will find Faroese people reserved at first but helpful, and happy to talk about weather, boats and football. Close farm gates behind you and keep to marked paths and tracks, because the hillsides are working grazing land.

What to wear

Dress on Borðoy begins with wool. The Faroese national costume is worn on festive and church occasions, and it is made from wool and cloth in dark tones, with silver buttons and clasps and, for women, a bodice, long skirt and a knitted shawl. Men's versions include a dark jacket and knee breeches. Knitwear is the best-known textile tradition, with patterned jumpers, caps and shawls made from island wool, and a hand-knitted piece is a typical gift. You will see the full costume at weddings, confirmations and national celebrations rather than in the street. Everyday clothing in Klaksvík is practical and weather-led: waterproof jackets, wool layers, rubber boots or sturdy shoes, and a hat that stays on in the wind. Fishermen and farmers wear work clothes in bright oilskin colours, while younger people dress much as they would in Copenhagen or Edinburgh, with a good coat on top. For a visitor, the rule is layers. Pack a base layer, a wool or fleece mid layer and a properly waterproof outer shell, plus a hat and light gloves even in summer. Hiking boots, ideally waterproof, are essential for the trails, and walking poles help on wet slopes because it is easy to trip. Churches have no strict dress code, but tidy, covered clothing is appropriate for services.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. June to August, when days are long and the weather is at its mildest, though rain and wind are possible in any month. Spring and early autumn are quieter but darker and wetter, and winter brings short days and rough seas that can disrupt ferries.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly to the Faroe Islands (Vágar airport), then take a bus or hire a car towards Tórshavn and on through the long Northern Islands tunnel from Eysturoy to Klaksvík. Buses connect Tórshavn with the Northern Islands. From Klaksvík, onward trips to Kunoy and Viðoy are by road, while Kalsoy needs a ferry and Svínoy and Fugloy are served by helicopter or by ferry from Hvannasund.

Budget. high

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources