Tuesday 20 December 2011

Saksun, the spirit of the Faröe Islands

The Faröe Islands are one of the most credible candidates to Ultima Thule !


Situated half way between Scotland and Iceland in the Northeast Atlantic, the Faröe Islands (Føroyar) are an archipelago of 18 fantastic mountainous islands, and a population of just over 47000.


Sea, green hillsides, sharp cliffs and mountains, strangely shaped islands, turf-roof houses...




and a gorgeous capital, Tórshavn:



Saksun, Streymoy island


Location: 62°14′56″ N, 7°10′33″ W

Saksun is a village near the north-west coast of the Faroese island of Streymoy.

Saksun was once an inlet surrounded by high mountains. The inlet formed a deep and good natural harbour. However a storm blocked the inlet with sand.


This made the old harbour become a unaccesible seawater lagoon.


Saksun is now a picturesque village in the bottom of the lagoon.


The Dúvugarður Museum occupies a seventeenth century farm house

The old turf-roofed farm house is a well-preserved example of a Faroese farmhouse of the 17-19th centuries.

On display here are many old domestic utensils and household objects and furniture, which displayed in their original context help to give a lively impression of traditional life in the Faröes.

The beautiful church in Saksun was built in 1858 :


Repairing the turf roof :