We were told to drive to the beach of Leynavatn and meet at the “Skerpi”, a fermenting shed commonly found on the Faroe Islands. Inside was a table where we were served our first dish, fried cod chips, and a choice of kombucha or Faroese beer. A Land Rover then drove us off-road for ten minutes to the restaurant, which is housed in a former farmhouse. We were served a tasting menu made of local ingredients and Faroese cooking techniques. Most of the dishes consisted of seafood and lamb, both fresh and fermented. The fermentation method, ræst, is unique and culturally significant to the Faroe Islands. With few trees and no salt production, the alternative for preserving food was to hang the fish and meat in sheds to dry in the salty sea air. Although no longer necessary, this process is still widely used on the islands and gives the food a distinctive flavour.
Faroe Islands: Day Trips
MYKINES
The westernmost island of the Faroe Islands. There are only two modes of transportation and both heavily weather-dependent. We used both—helicopter there and ferry back. The ten-minute helicopter ride is likely the least expensive in the world. Helicopters are subsidised and common public transport for residents to more remote islands.
PUFFINS
There are no roads on the island and only one village (permanent residents total to ten). In the summer, the hiking trail to the Hólmur lighthouse passes through jagged cliffs, steep grassy slopes and millions of puffins. Mykines is home to one of the largest colonies of Atlantic puffins.
NORTHERN ISLES
The six northernmost islands in the Faroe Islands. This day trip was to Kalsoy via a ferry from Klaksvík. At the end of the single narrow road (not to mention numerous single-lane and un-lit tunnels) is the village of Trøllanes, which is the beginning of the hike to the Kallur lighthouse.
