Eidi

Eiði sits on the narrow neck of land at the northwestern corner of Eysturoy, its name meaning isthmus, with a lake behind it and the sea on both sides. It is known for its football pitch, laid out on a levelled shelf right at the water's edge with the Atlantic beyond one goal, which has become one of the most photographed sports grounds anywhere. The village church of 1881 and the old turf-roofed houses stand above it.

History

Eiði, meaning isthmus, was settled by Norsemen: the earliest trace of settlement has been carbon-dated to about 920 AD, and settlement probably began earlier still, though the village is first mentioned in writing only early in the 14th century. Its church, designed in 1879 by the Danish architect Hans Christian Amberg, was consecrated on 18 September 1881. A LORAN-C navigation transmitter stood just east of the village until it was switched off for the last time on 1 January 2016 (Wikipedia, Eiði).

Highlights

• The seaside football pitch - a ground laid out on a shelf at the water's edge.
• The isthmus setting - the narrow neck with sea on both sides.
• The 1881 church - the village church above the shore.
• The Risin og Kellingin view - the stacks seen from the road above the village.

When to go

May to September is the season. The pitch is used through the summer. Winter storms come straight in off the Atlantic here.

Things to know

The famous pitch is a working ground and is often locked or in use. The village is small with few facilities. Wind here is severe and constant.

Nearby

Gjogv is northeast, and Funningur is east.

Key facts