Late bird lisbon1/10/2024 His cosy home, built from Danish driftwood in the 11th century, is reputed to be the oldest wooden house in the world.Īnother island, Kalsoy, has the most iconic sculpture on the Faroes. I met up with Joannes Paturrson, whose family have farmed on this ‘King’s land’ for 17 generations. The ‘Seal Woman’ sculpture on the isle of Kalsoy is framed by spectacular wild scenery It lies on the south-west coast of Streymoy, with gorgeous views west towards the islands of Hestur and Koltur, and south towards Sandoy. Kirkjubour, a 15-minute drive or two-hour walk from Torshavn, is considered the cultural capital of the islands. Gunnar, our captain, began our trip by skilfully steering between spectacular rocks to give us the best views of the nests and habitats of puffins, guillemots, fulmars, kittiwakes and oystercatchers. Before we entered the first gorge, a crewman distributed yellow hard hats to all the passengers, just in case rocks (or, I suppose, bird droppings) should fall on us. After I’d browsed for a while, Frida, the curator, took me downstairs to a room called ‘The Deep Blue’ that is lined from top to bottom in azure glass and mirrors, to express the depth and seeming infinity of sky and ocean - a totally immersive experience.Ībove is Tinganes, a tooth-shaped point of land in Torshavn. This was where the islands’ legislature first met in the Viking period, which makes it one of the world’s oldest parliamentary meeting-places, Lucy revealsĪfterwards I wandered through the large park that surrounds the building, admiring the many unusual sculptures.Ī popular excursion is to catch a boat from Vestmanna, on the west of Streymoy, to the bird cliffs. The pure quality of light on the islands inspires the artists whose work is displayed in the small national art gallery, Listasavn Foroya. Although its exact origins are unknown, it is linked to honouring of the Norse god Thor. Just discernible at the tip of the promontory is a Viking sundial engraved into the rock. This was where the islands’ legislature first met in the Viking period, which makes it one of the world’s oldest parliamentary meeting-places. Our guide, Ingigerd, explained that the islands were first settled by Irish monks in about AD 700, then colonised by the Vikings, who were later converted to Christianity by the king of Norway.Ī tooth-shaped point of land reaching out into the harbour is called Tinganes, which in Faroese means ‘parliament point’. Where else, for instance, would you stumble upon a ‘yarn-bombed’ rock, completely covered in knitting, inspired by a legend about a ‘troll woman’ who lived in a cave? But for spectacular landscapes, a powerful atmosphere and sheer quirkiness, the Faroes are unrivalled. The weather is changeable, often fluctuating in the space of a few hours. The downside is that prices are high (a litre carton of milk is £1.30, for example, and a mid-range bottle of wine £15). The infrastructure is well developed, with excellent wi-fi, comfortable accommodation, good food and designer knitwear. The scenery is like a blend of Iceland, Scotland and Norway, yet the Faroe Islands are a self-governing region of Denmark (although, unlike Denmark itself, they are not in the EU).Ī prosperous fishing industry has financed good roads and a series of tunnels linking the bigger islands, which means travelling by car is easy. Most of the menfolk work in traditional industries, so there is a gender gap of about 1,500 at marrying age.Īs a result, some farmers and fishermen use the internet to find partners and a high proportion of Asian women, many of them Filipino, marry the very conventional men. Other employment for women is limited, and many who leave the islands to study don’t return. This proved to be a common sight, as knitwear is an important industry here. Sitting in one friendly restaurant, I spotted a group of women chatting animatedly while knitting vigorously. Faroese women dressed in traditional costumes
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