What to do on (North) Streymoy? Route along Saksun, Fossá & Tjørnuvík

What to do on Streymoy? Good question, because this island is sometimes a little overshadowed by Vágar, where the airport is located and where many famous highlights can be found. But Streymoy really deserves its own day. You will find Tórshavn here, but also narrow roads, quiet villages, black beaches, high waterfalls and places you mainly visit because of their location.

We made a route through North Streymoy along Saksun, Fossá and Tjørnuvík. That turned out to be a really nice combination. Saksun is small and photogenic, Fossá is an easy stop at the highest waterfall in the Faroe Islands, and Tjørnuvík sits on a black bay with views of the famous sea stacks Risin og Kellingin.

In this blog, I will take you along our route on Streymoy. Not as a complete encyclopaedia of the island, but as a practical day route with places that fit together well. And yes: bring your rain gear, good shoes and a bit of patience, because the roads are sometimes narrow and the weather is simply in charge here.

Streymoy: the largest island in the Faroe Islands

Streymoy is the largest island in the Faroe Islands. The capital Tórshavn is also located here, so many travellers end up on Streymoy anyway. But as soon as you drive out of the city, the island quickly feels calm and empty. Especially in the north.

That is where you will find the route we were especially enthusiastic about: Saksun, Fossá and Tjørnuvík. Three completely different stops, but together they give you a beautiful impression of this part of the Faroe Islands. You drive through valleys, past waterfalls, along narrow roads and end by the sea.

We stayed in a farmhouse near Kollafjørður ourselves. That was conveniently located for this route. You are staying somewhere quieter than Tórshavn, but still central enough to explore Streymoy properly.

Our route through North Streymoy

If you have one day for North Streymoy, I would follow this order:

• Saksun: small village, old farm, lagoon and waterfall.
• Fossá Waterfall: short stop at the highest waterfall in the Faroe Islands.
• Tjørnuvík: black beach, cosy village and views of Risin og Kellingin.

You can of course also do this route the other way around. That mainly depends on where you are staying, the weather and how much time you want to spend at Saksun. If you want to walk to the black sand beach at Saksun, also check the tide. That determines whether you can walk there safely.

We especially liked this route because you are not sitting in the car all day, but you still get a lot of variety. Saksun feels green and remote, Fossá is short and powerful, and Tjørnuvík is a beautiful ending by the sea.

Stop 1: Saksun, tiny village with huge views

Saksun is probably the best-known stop on this route. The village lies in a kind of natural bowl between the mountains, with a lagoon, an old farm museum and a waterfall. The road there is narrow, but beautiful. You drive through a green valley with waterfalls appearing again and again along the mountain walls.

We visited Dúvugarðar, the old farm in Saksun. You pay 150 Danish kroner per person for it. Honestly: we thought that was quite a lot for what you get. Especially in the Faroe Islands, where at many other places you can simply walk to a waterfall or viewpoint for free.

The farm itself is nice to see briefly. You walk through an old house that is hundreds of years old and was inhabited until around 1940. It has now become a small museum with old objects, photos and rooms that show how people used to live here. Do not expect a large museum, more like an old show home in a beautiful location.

What we actually liked most was the area around the farm. You can walk a short distance uphill towards the waterfall. It was muddy when we were there, so good shoes were useful. But you do get beautifully close to the water and can take some great photos there.

Want to know more about the costs, the farm, the waterfall and the road there? Then read our detailed blog about Saksun in the Faroe Islands.

Stop 2: Fossá Waterfall, the highest waterfall in the Faroe Islands

After Saksun, Fossá is a very logical stop along the way. This is the highest waterfall in the Faroe Islands, and yet you hardly need to make any effort to see it. You drive past it, park the car and basically see the waterfall straight away.

Fossá is around 140 metres high and drops down in several sections. Especially after rain, it is impressive. And let’s be honest: finding rain in the Faroe Islands is usually not that difficult.

We thought Fossá was very beautiful, but also typically one of those places that does not need much planning. You stop, perhaps walk a little closer, take photos and continue driving. Allow 15 to 30 minutes. That is exactly enough.

Precisely because Fossá is so easy to reach, I would not skip it if you are driving to Tjørnuvík. It is not a main activity, but it is a very nice break along the way. Read our short blog about Fossá Waterfall in the Faroe Islands here.

Stop 3: Tjørnuvík, black beach and views of giants

Tjørnuvík is located right at the end of the road in the north of Streymoy. And that road is immediately part of the experience. Narrow, sometimes a little exciting, along the rock wall and the ocean. You need to keep paying attention, especially with oncoming traffic, but the final destination is beautiful.

The village lies in a deep bay with a black beach. From the beach, you look out towards Risin og Kellingin, two famous sea stacks in the ocean. In English, they are often called the Giant and the Witch. According to the legend, they wanted to drag the Faroe Islands to Iceland, but turned to stone when the sun rose.

We mainly found Tjørnuvík a lovely place to walk around quietly. No big programme, no busy village, but black stones, sea, mountains and fresh air. With a baby, it is also simply a good stop to get out of the car for a moment.

In high season, local residents sometimes sell Faroese waffles with coffee or tea. Do not count on it blindly, because these kinds of places are not always open, but if you are lucky, it is exactly what you want after a windy route.

Also read our blog about Tjørnuvík in the Faroe Islands.

What else can you do on Streymoy?

If you have more time on Streymoy, you can add a few extra places. We did not do everything, because travelling with a baby sometimes simply means making choices. And sometimes you skip a walk because it just does not fit the moment.

Kluftáfossur

Kluftáfossur is a waterfall near Haldarsvík. We had this one on our list, but eventually skipped it. The walk is often described as a short but slightly rougher hike along a riverbed, with muddy and slippery sections. With a baby, that was simply not very convenient at that moment.

If you have good weather, sturdy shoes and a little extra time, Kluftáfossur can be a nice addition to your route through North Streymoy. But I would not squeeze it into an already full day with Saksun, Fossá and Tjørnuvík.

Tórshavn

Tórshavn is also located on Streymoy and is the capital of the Faroe Islands. It is the most practical place for restaurants, groceries and accommodation. If you have a little more time, walk through Tinganes, the old district with red wooden houses, or use Tórshavn as a base for day trips.

Kirkjubøur

South of Tórshavn lies Kirkjubøur, a historic village with old buildings and views towards the islands of Hestur and Koltur. This fits well into another Streymoy day, especially if you want to combine culture and short stops.

Vestmanna Sea Cliffs

On the western side of Streymoy are the Vestmanna Sea Cliffs. You can take boat trips there along high cliffs and bird cliffs. This is a completely different experience from Saksun and Tjørnuvík, but interesting if you have another extra day on Streymoy.

Can you visit Saksun, Fossá and Tjørnuvík in one day?

Yes, absolutely. This is actually a very logical day route through North Streymoy. You just should not start too late and should not expect to spend hours everywhere.

For Saksun, I would allow 1 to 2 hours, depending on whether you visit Dúvugarðar and/or want to walk to the lagoon. Fossá usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. For Tjørnuvík, 30 to 60 minutes is enough, unless you stay for waffles or simply want to look at the sea for a little longer.

The roads are good, but sometimes narrow. So do not plan too tightly. Especially on the road to Saksun and Tjørnuvík, you need to drive calmly and take passing places, oncoming traffic and sometimes tour buses into account.

Staying overnight on Streymoy

For this route, staying overnight on Streymoy is very convenient. We stayed in a farmhouse near Kollafjørður. We found that a nice place: quiet, but still central enough for Saksun, Fossá, Tjørnuvík and Tórshavn.

Want to stay roughly where we stayed? Then check accommodation near Kollafjørður. You are staying somewhere quieter than the capital, but still conveniently located for a route across Streymoy.

If you mainly want the most practical base, Tórshavn is the easiest choice. You have more restaurants, shops and accommodation there. If you prefer somewhere quieter, look for accommodation outside the city, for example towards Kollafjørður or North Streymoy.

If you combine Streymoy with Vágar, you can also plan a few nights on Vágar. For that, read our blog about what to do on Vágar.

Streymoy has a beautiful mix of practical base and rugged nature. You have the capital for comfort and facilities, but you can also quickly drive to quiet villages, waterfalls and black beaches.

For us, North Streymoy in particular was surprisingly beautiful. Saksun felt remote and photogenic, Fossá was short but impressive, and Tjørnuvík was a lovely ending by the sea. These are not places where you will stay for days, but together they form a very strong route.

If you have a few days in the Faroe Islands, I definitely would not skip Streymoy. For example, start with Vágar, then continue to Streymoy and plan at least one day for Saksun, Fossá and Tjørnuvík. That immediately gives you a beautiful impression of how varied these islands are.