Faroe Islands roads

[exiled]

You don't *have* to fly, of course. Leaving aside covid, I could get to the Faroes from here by driving about 70 km (20 here and 50 in Denmark), via the Göteborg-Frederikshavn ferry, to Hirtshals and getting the Iceland ferry, which calls at Tórshavn. But yes, the energy barrier is considerably higher, especially if you're not already in Scandinavia. It's unfortunate that that ferry no longer calls at Thurso and Lerwick. Possibly the service will be resurrected in the context of people actively choosing to avoid flying for both environmental and disease reasons.

Hmm, is marine travel actually any better from that PoV?

Environmental - I don't know. It depends most on the source of the fuel for the ferry, I guess, although part of the problem with flying is *where* the emissions take place, i.e. high in the atmosphere.

Covid-related - if you get a ferry you can sit in isolation in your car while waiting to board, and then either spend the voyage on deck or in your cabin and away from others to a far greater extent than you can manage in an airport or on a plane. But it hardly counts as isolation either way.

The ferry could be 'interesting', given the Aberdeen - Lerwick ferry has a reputation of being a rough crossing and is a fraction of the journey to Tórshavn, or even Seyðisfjörður.

[Al__S]

You don't *have* to fly, of course. Leaving aside covid, I could get to the Faroes from here by driving about 70 km (20 here and 50 in Denmark), via the Göteborg-Frederikshavn ferry, to Hirtshals and getting the Iceland ferry, which calls at Tórshavn.

Just looking up the ferry, as I was wondering how long a crossing, how nice a ship etc. And it seems that right now you can't do that, as it isn't running until March (not sure if this is just a COVID thing or if it's for refit of the vessel?)

[FosseWay]

56 hours from Hirtshals to Seyðisfjörður IIRC.

According to Nordjyllands tourism website, the Iceland ferry goes all year round, once a week, with some extra sailings in high season. So I imagine if there are no sailings at the moment, it will be a covid thing.

Looking on Smyril Line's own website I see that it appears to be impossible to select a departure date until March, but strangely there is nothing elsewhere on the site about this.

[roadtester]

56 hours from Hirtshals to Seyðisfjörður IIRC.

According to Nordjyllands tourism website, the Iceland ferry goes all year round, once a week, with some extra sailings in high season. So I imagine if there are no sailings at the moment, it will be a covid thing.

Looking on Smyril Line's own website I see that it appears to be impossible to select a departure date until March, but strangely there is nothing elsewhere on the site about this.

I was having quite a long look at the ferry site the other day for fantasy post-COVID travel possibilities. Quite attracted to the idea of doing the trip. Also a bit out of the mainstream so probably quite good bragging rights too.

[FosseWay]

I was having quite a long look at the ferry site the other day for fantasy post-COVID travel possibilities. Quite attracted to the idea of doing the trip. Also a bit out of the mainstream so probably quite good bragging rights too.

It's been on my radar for a while as well, especially given how close the Danish ferry terminal is to me. On the other hand, I don't know how useful it would be to take my own car to Iceland. If you want to get off the beaten track you really need something more suitable than an ageing Mondeo estate with a tendency to ground at both ends simultaneously on bumpy roads. But if you take your own car on a journey like that - which I imagine is not cheap - you are unlikely to choose then to hire a 4x4 as well.

Taking the car to the Faroes though might be more suitable. I can't imagine there's a huge amount of public transport on such sparsely populated islands, but then again if they can afford to build all these tunnels they can probably provide a decent bus service as well.

Such trips will be some way off though, as the first foreign trip we are likely to do once restrictions ease will be to visit the UK, probably driving.

[roadtester]

I was having quite a long look at the ferry site the other day for fantasy post-COVID travel possibilities. Quite attracted to the idea of doing the trip. Also a bit out of the mainstream so probably quite good bragging rights too.

It's been on my radar for a while as well, especially given how close the Danish ferry terminal is to me. On the other hand, I don't know how useful it would be to take my own car to Iceland. If you want to get off the beaten track you really need something more suitable than an ageing Mondeo estate with a tendency to ground at both ends simultaneously on bumpy roads. But if you take your own car on a journey like that - which I imagine is not cheap - you are unlikely to choose then to hire a 4x4 as well.

Taking the car to the Faroes though might be more suitable. I can't imagine there's a huge amount of public transport on such sparsely populated islands, but then again if they can afford to build all these tunnels they can probably provide a decent bus service as well.

Such trips will be some way off though, as the first foreign trip we are likely to do once restrictions ease will be to visit the UK, probably driving.

On the subject of Iceland: I had the opportunity to get the full Iceland experience at Land Rover's expense on a press trip back in 2005 to test the then-new Discovery 3. With 4x4s and the guidance of the LR off-roading experts who had devised the route, we were able to see stuff that would be hard to get to even for the wealthiest tourists.

But I reckon there is also a decent week long holiday to be had by avoiding the 4x4 stuff and combining, say, four days exploring on normal roads (especially Route 1, I think it is, which is a sort of main perimeter road linking the bigger settlements) with two or three days/nights in Reykjavik. A lot of the roads are pretty good and IIRC you can see things like the big geysers without going too far off the beaten path. Probably more sensible/cheaper to fly and rent rather than takes one's own car, but I really liked the look of the ferry, perhaps just to the Faroes, as a bit of an experience in its own right.

[Chris Bertram]

I was having quite a long look at the ferry site the other day for fantasy post-COVID travel possibilities. Quite attracted to the idea of doing the trip. Also a bit out of the mainstream so probably quite good bragging rights too.

It's been on my radar for a while as well, especially given how close the Danish ferry terminal is to me. On the other hand, I don't know how useful it would be to take my own car to Iceland. If you want to get off the beaten track you really need something more suitable than an ageing Mondeo estate with a tendency to ground at both ends simultaneously on bumpy roads. But if you take your own car on a journey like that - which I imagine is not cheap - you are unlikely to choose then to hire a 4x4 as well.

Taking the car to the Faroes though might be more suitable. I can't imagine there's a huge amount of public transport on such sparsely populated islands, but then again if they can afford to build all these tunnels they can probably provide a decent bus service as well.

Such trips will be some way off though, as the first foreign trip we are likely to do once restrictions ease will be to visit the UK, probably driving.

There is a decent bus service in the Faroe Islands, with a local network in Tórshavn and longer distance services too. There are also helicopter services run by Atlantic Airways between the islands, no idea of the cost however.

If you're driving, the roads are good, and most are coastal or nearly so, with only a few going over the hills between towns. The islands rise precipitately from the sea, and only one village (Miðvágar) is not on the coast at all. Vágar is the island with the most level ground, and this is where you find the airport, to no-one's surprise.

[Vierwielen]

I was having quite a long look at the ferry site the other day for fantasy post-COVID travel possibilities. Quite attracted to the idea of doing the trip. Also a bit out of the mainstream so probably quite good bragging rights too.

It's been on my radar for a while as well, especially given how close the Danish ferry terminal is to me. On the other hand, I don't know how useful it would be to take my own car to Iceland. If you want to get off the beaten track you really need something more suitable than an ageing Mondeo estate with a tendency to ground at both ends simultaneously on bumpy roads. But if you take your own car on a journey like that - which I imagine is not cheap - you are unlikely to choose then to hire a 4x4 as well.

Taking the car to the Faroes though might be more suitable. I can't imagine there's a huge amount of public transport on such sparsely populated islands, but then again if they can afford to build all these tunnels they can probably provide a decent bus service as well.

Such trips will be some way off though, as the first foreign trip we are likely to do once restrictions ease will be to visit the UK, probably driving.

I got a quote for a journey between Denmark and Iceland:

Outbound: Dep 16:00 13/03/2021 Arr: 09:00 16/03/2021
Return: Dep 20:00 21/04/2021 Arr: 11:30 24/04/2021

Spartan 2 berth cabin, no windws, no meals ordered, 2 people, car, 4.5 m long, one sailing per week Cost: €1215

[exiled]

On the subject of Iceland: I had the opportunity to get the full Iceland experience at Land Rover's expense on a press trip back in 2005 to test the then-new Discovery 3. With 4x4s and the guidance of the LR off-roading experts who had devised the route, we were able to see stuff that would be hard to get to even for the wealthiest tourists.

But I reckon there is also a decent week long holiday to be had by avoiding the 4x4 stuff and combining, say, four days exploring on normal roads (especially Route 1, I think it is, which is a sort of main perimeter road linking the bigger settlements) with two or three days/nights in Reykjavik. A lot of the roads are pretty good and IIRC you can see things like the big geysers without going too far off the beaten path. Probably more sensible/cheaper to fly and rent rather than takes one's own car, but I really liked the look of the ferry, perhaps just to the Faroes, as a bit of an experience in its own right.

Route 1 is the ring road, so apart from the peninsular in the NW, or out to Keflavik it does link the main bits. Looking on wikipedia RUV, the main broadcaster in Iceland, with Sigur Ros did a real time drive around the ring on the summer solstice one year. It is on YouTube if you have the several hours to spare!

[BurningHorizons]

30min documentary on the Faroe Islands new tunnels. A really good watch...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EruSZNI4th4

[Chris Bertram]

30min documentary on the Faroe Islands new tunnels. A really good watch...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EruSZNI4th4

Will watch this, as we're likely to be using them in the summer.

[ravenbluemoon]

30min documentary on the Faroe Islands new tunnels. A really good watch...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EruSZNI4th4

Will watch this, as we're likely to be using them in the summer.

There's a fair chance I'll be that way again this year. Haven't watched the video yet as YouTube crashes on my browser, but it seems like they opened up the Sandoyartunnilin at the end of last year, and there's some sort of northern bypass around Tórshavn that is going into tunnel too. As said above, given the geography there's not many other options.

I was at the mercy of the (actually pretty decent except on bank holidays) bus network and got to see quite a lot around the main islands, including the tunnel with the jellyfish roundabout in the middle. Having to run for the last bus back to town after watching football at Toftir nearly broke me! Best bus journey was one of the free city buses hammering down the hill from Hoyvik blasting out Boney M on the radio... good memories

Edit: Sandoyartunnilin now added on our Wiki page for Faroe Islands.

[FosseWay]

Going to the Faroes is on my radar as well, though probably not this year as all my annual leave is eaten up with other stuff.

One option for me is to cycle there (I can get to Hirtshals in a day easily from here), but I'm wondering about the legality/suitability of cycling in the tunnels. If you're not allowed to, or it's obviously dangerous or unpleasant, that leaves you in a worse position than just going there as a foot passenger and using the buses, since I imagine it's not possible to take your bike on the bus.

Does anyone know? Any first-hand experience?

[ravenbluemoon]

Going to the Faroes is on my radar as well, though probably not this year as all my annual leave is eaten up with other stuff.

One option for me is to cycle there (I can get to Hirtshals in a day easily from here), but I'm wondering about the legality/suitability of cycling in the tunnels. If you're not allowed to, or it's obviously dangerous or unpleasant, that leaves you in a worse position than just going there as a foot passenger and using the buses, since I imagine it's not possible to take your bike on the bus.

Does anyone know? Any first-hand experience?

IIRC cycling isn't permitted through the subsea tunnels - I certainly wouldn't want to cycle through the subsea tunnels - there's not really anywhere safe to cycle, and the grades are pretty consant and steep... the coaches I used were going flat out on the uphill sections of the ones I went through. This is the entrance to the tunnel from the airport to the main Streymoy island, as you can see it's wide enough for two lanes but nothing much else. Wikipedia has the width at 7.0 metres, and a gradient of 6.9%, so pretty tight if you've got trucks passing as well.

As far as I know* cycles can be carried on the Strandfaraskip Landsins bus network - they use proper coaches with the luggage bays underneath the passenger area. Of course you can take them on ferries too. I will admit, the public transport is spot on there given the small population.

I reckon you'll enjoy a cycling holiday on the islands, traffic isn't crazy busy once you're away from the towns, and everything seems pretty chilled out.

*Check this with the Tourist Information or the bus company!

[FosseWay]

Thanks, that's useful

Another option is to drive but take the Bromptons for short excursions.