Edge of the Abyss: Sea Stacks, Turf Roofs & Wild Fjords in the Faroe Islands

Rising abruptly from the turbulent waters of the North Atlantic midway between Iceland, Norway, and Scotland, the 18 volcanic islands of the Faroes feel elemental and untamed. Basalt plateaus drop vertically into churning white breakers, waterfalls blow backwards up mountain cliffs under hurricane-force gales, and sheep outnumber human residents nearly two to one.

Yet beneath this raw, dramatic landscape lies a culture of quiet Nordic refinement: centuries of sustainable sheep farming, traditional grass-turf roof houses that insulate against biting winds, and a thriving contemporary culinary and music scene.

The Monumental Lighthouse Hike on Kalsoy

Taking the small vehicle ferry from Klaksvik to the northern island of Kalsoy brings travelers to the village of Trollanes. From here, a narrow sheep track climbs along a knife-edge grass ridge toward the Kallur Lighthouse.

Standing at the edge of the promontory, with the 500-meter vertical sea cliffs of Borgarin dropping directly into the ocean on one side and nesting colonies of fulmars gliding on thermal air drafts, one feels truly situated at the outer rim of the world.