When one hikes in the Faroe Islands, they are generally not following a trail. Rather, they are walking on uneven, meandering paths of mud, rocks and compressed grass. Today, on a popular hike above the north shore of "Flute Island," a steep climb was followed by braided routes, leading to the North Coast lighthouse.
While the hike was strenuous and slow-going, rest stops at boulders or crumbling out-buildings (photo) offered a broad view of the North Atlantic. Clouds of seabirds (Arctic terns, kittiwakes, storm petrels, fulmars and others), circled overhead while sheep grazed on the rocky, windswept grasslands.
The hike offered everything that the Faroe Islands are known for: expansive views, stark beauty, a wealth of seabirds and the clash of rock and sea. One exception to our expectations were the crowds, drawn to this well-known trail despite the chilly, windy conditions.
