Gásadalur and Múlafossur

Mulafossur falls from a cliff edge directly into the ocean below the hamlet of Gasadalur, with the sea stack island of Mykines on the horizon behind it, and the combination has become the defining photograph of the Faroe Islands. Until a tunnel was blasted through the mountain in 2004, the village's dozen residents reached the outside world by a steep mountain path or by boat, and the postman climbed over the ridge with the mail. Now it is fifteen minutes from the airport, which has changed the village considerably but not the view.

The landscape

• Mulafossur waterfall - the drop straight into the Atlantic.
• Gasadalur village - the tiny hamlet above the falls.
• The old postal path - the mountain route over the ridge, walkable.
• Mykines on the horizon - the puffin island seen from the cliff.

When to go

May to September for the greenest grass and longest days; the falls run year round. Light is best in morning or evening. Wind here is serious and can make the cliff edge dangerous.

What to expect

It is a viewpoint rather than an excursion - twenty minutes covers it, so combine with the rest of Vagar. Parking is small and fills with tour vans; a fee applies. The cliff edges are unfenced and the wind can be strong enough to unbalance people. The village is inhabited and privately owned, so stay on the paths and respect gates.

Nearby

Sorvagsvatn, the Mykines ferry and Vagar airport.