Fossá Waterfall

Fossá, whose name simply means river-of-the-waterfall, is the highest waterfall in the Faroe Islands, dropping around 140 metres in two clear stages from the moorland above to the sea. The lower tier falls beside the road, so you can stand at its foot within a few minutes of parking, and a short steep path climbs to a ledge between the two tiers where the water rushes past close enough to soak you in spray. Above, the river runs off open fell. It faces the island of Kalsoy across the sound, and in the right light the whole scene, the white column of water, the green cliffs and the dark island beyond, is the Faroes in miniature. It is at its most powerful after rain, which in the Faroes is most of the time.

What you actually see

• The lower falls - the roadside tier, reached in a few minutes on foot.
• The middle ledge - a short steep climb to the shelf between the two tiers.
• The view to Kalsoy - the island across the sound behind the falls.
• Haldarsvík - the nearby village with an unusual octagonal church.

When to go

May to September for the mildest walking, though the falls are strongest after rain and can be a trickle in a dry spell. The climb between tiers is slippery and best avoided in wet or windy conditions.

Honest expectations

The path to the middle ledge is short but genuinely steep, wet and slippery, with no railing, so it is not for everyone; the lower tier by the road is the safe option. There are no facilities. Like everywhere in the Faroes the weather can turn in minutes and the spray plus wind makes it cold even in summer.

Nearby

Tjørnuvík's beach and the Risin og Kellingin sea stacks are further along the coast; Saksun lies west.