Mykines Guide

Country code Guide for a trip to Mykineshólmur Guide for a trip in the outfield (Udmarken), to the Stonewood and to Knukur, the highest point of Mykines Public paths

Remember to tell where You are going
Be properly dressed, the weather is changeable
Be careful in windy and foggy conditions
Carry map, compass, whistle pathsomething to eat
Keep to the paths and don't walk through crops or grass
Please remember to close all gates behind You
Respect the life of the countryside
Beware loose stones, especially if You are walking in a group
Leave no litter
Dogs are not allowed into the hills

Guide for a trip to Mykineshólmur

The path to the islet is private and therefor unmarked by calms. It passes the puffin breeding grounds, which should not be disturbed.
Follow the trodden path up towards the precipice.
The monument was erected in 1939 to honour the memory of lost fishermen from Mykines. The tables with their names are now to be seen in the church. The reason to erect the monument was that 9 men from Mykines was lost by the shipwreck of the trawler Neptun under fishing by Iceland.
The path then passes over the mountain ridge and descends down to "í Lamba", which is one of the country's richest puffin areas, where many puffins are netted.
The bridge to the Holm is called the "Atlantic Bridge" and is the third since the first was erected in connection with the building of the lighthouse.
The northern slope of the islet and the free-standing stacks: "Flatidrangur" and "Pikarsdrangur" are the only places in the Faroes where gannets breed.
The lighthouse was built in 1909 and is the westernmost point in the Faroes.
The return journey allows You to observe the gannet colony.
Duration: 2 hours out to the lighthouse and back, at normal walking pace without stopping.
Severity: Medium. The path is steep and precipitous, some people may suffer from vertigo. Please remember to close all gates.

Guide for a trip in the outfield (Udmarken), to the Stonewood and to Knukur, the highest point of Mykines

Follow the road, which starts in the Infield, Indmarken, and continues in the Outfield towards east to You arrive to a little bridge over the stream. Close to the bridge, pass through a gate to the left of the stream to continue upwards. Here one can follow the stream or follow the wheel track, which lies more to the north and, depending of the state of the track, often is easier to follow.
Artic skuas
The area You come through is called Djupidalur and here the artic skua breed in wide and open colony, which, in good seasons, can stretch the whole way from north to south below the slope eastwards. The nests are quite scattered and the artic skuas are defending their territory very intensely. And everybody, artic skuas and other birds as well as human beings, are attacked by quickly dives over the intruders. If this tactic isn't enough, the artic skuas can try to play ill. They crawl and limp with hanging wings and pitiful voices, trying to seduce one away from their nests. If one follow the artic skua, it will sooner or later take to its wings in its forceful and fast flight and the result is, that You have been seduced farer away from the nest.
Tindargjogv
Continuing upwards one have to follow the western, north going track to one have a hight on ones left hand. From here one can have a beautiful sight over the sea at north. When the tracks are turning east, one have to continue north and only 50 to 100 meters from the tracks, one will reach the upper end of Tindargjogv.
If one has followed the stream, one have to follow the northern branch up through a shallow valley, which turns north as You follow the stream. Continue upwards to You have a more angular hight towards east and a more expanse ridge towards south. Pass the tracks and continue to the northern slope. Her one should be at the upper edge of Tindargjogv.
Tindargjogv is an impressive gorge, gjogv, which continues all the way down to the sea. In the sides of the gjogv, one can see more layers of the red tuf, layers of red vulcanian ash.
Great skuas
On the way from the artic skuas one maybe also have been attacked by the great skuas. In the area, You now have reached, a pair of great skuas for many years have been nesting and to come into their teritory, can be a quite unpleasant experience, as the great skua is a big and forceful bird, which with great speed bully any intruder and don't hesitate to hit one in the head, which can be quite painful.
The Stonewood
After having enjoyed the view of Tindagjogv, one have to go back to the track and follow it eastwards to it ends. Continuing eastwards one come to the edge of Korkadalur. From here one have to southwards and follow the edge and from here one will see the Stonewood. From a position close to the edge, one can see these impressive 20 to 30 meter high columns of basalt and here one also have a beautiful view of Korkadalur towards north.
Continue upwards over the quite flat area above the Stonewood, which continues towards Knukur, the highest point of Mykines.
Golden plover
In this flat area towards south one can be lucky to see and hear the golden plover, which use to breed up here.
The antenna house
Continue upwards towards Knukur and the antenna house and the different antennas. The most northern and lowest placed antenna is a radio beacon for the aviation over the North Atlantic to Iceland and Greenland. The other antennas are for radio and television for Mykines village, radio and mobile phone. Besides this, there are antennas for the approach to Vagar airport. All is directed from the read brown house, built there in 1979. Just downwards from this house, there are two pipes, from which the finest spring water is running. The spring was found in connection with the building of the antenna house and spared the transport of many litres of water in connection with the casting of the house.
From the antenna house one can continue upwards along the cables, which have been more or less dug down here. At last one reach the flat area, where the uppermost antennas are standing.
Knukur
Towards east of this flat area, at the edge to Kalvadalur, some rounded stones are the highest point of Mykines, Knukur, 560 meters above sea level.
A little further eastwards, one, in clear weather, gets the most beautiful view over Borgardalur towards Sørvagur. From here one in fine weather can see 9 of the Faroese islands, while standing on number ten. Towards north one sees the most northern part of Streymoy with Mylingur. Just south of Mylingur one sees Snubbin and further south the opening of the coast towards Saksun. Then one sees Vágar, the top of Koltur, Hestur, Sandoy, Skuoy, Stora Dimun, Lítla Dimun and southernly Suðeroy.
The way back
From Knukur one can go towards south by the the ridge, to one comes to the edge with the steep mountains or slopes at the southern coast of Mykines. From here towards West along the edge, most easily a little inland, back to Mykines village. Coming a little Westward one passes the upper end of the gjogv, called Tvilingsgjogv, with an impressive view though the gjogv towards Borðdrangur.
Further westward there are beautiful views over Innaranes, Heimarenes, Gásdalsmuli, Íralið og Uldalið. Going westward one have to pass some quite steep slopes, which can be passed going at the edge or, more easily, a little inwards.
Peat houses and "Engelskmændenes hus", the house of the English
Going Westward, one passes more quite flat areas with the ruins of old peat houses.
At last one comes to the great flat area, which is the southern part of the breading area of the artic skuas here one can see the ruins of the radar station on Elisakletur, which was build during the Second World War by the British Army.
A little further westward, one can see a little dam and a little lake, where the children in former time sailed with model ships.
Further westward one have to pass a fence and a stone dike and from there one reach a hammer, with a fine view over Mykines village and Mykines Holm. From here one can either go south to the edge of Hellisgjogv and from there by a quite steep slope towards the new sheep house in the infield or go north, following the stone dike until one reach a gate, and through this one comes to a path through the infield towards the village.
Duration at least 3 hours without pause and being in quite good shape. There are some steep places and one have to take care of loose edges both north and south.
If one is surprised by fog, the most secure thing to do is, to go towards the stream and follow it downwards and westwards to the village. The stream is lying in the bottom of the great basin, which is divided into Heimangjogv north of the stream and Liðarhauge south of the stream. One can also follow the tracks. There are both the tracks towards north, as mentioned in this guide, but also tracks lying south of the Stream, which are used for traffic towards Borgardalur.
Degree of difficulty: Middle.

Public paths

Public paths have connected the villages throughout the ages. Before proper roads were built, people walked over the hills to their destination, whether it was to "ting" (parliament assembly) to the neighbouring church for Christenings, weddings and finally to be carried to the grave in a coffin.
As in other countries , the paths are marked with ancient stone calms, which serve to guide the traveller on his way.
The public are allowed free access to the path, but straying onto private land without the owner's permission is illegal. Neglecting to close the gates is also an offence.