Koltur

Koltur is dominated by Kolturshamar, a peak rising to around four hundred and seventy metres at its northern end, with a green shelf below it holding the island's one settlement. The population fell to nothing and the old farmstead at Heimi í Húsi, a cluster of turf-roofed stone buildings, has been restored as a heritage site showing how a Faroese farm was built and worked. Access is by charter or by the public helicopter.

Background

Koltur lies west of Streymoy and northwest of Hestur. Its name means colt, while Hestur, the larger island to the southeast, means horse. The island covers 2.8 square kilometres. Besides Kolturshamar at 478 metres it has Fjallið, only 101 metres high, whose name translates as The Mountain. Excavations show that barley was grown here as early as 800 to 900 AD. In 1890 the island had 42 people in 6 families, and the last burial in the cemetery took place in 1954. The sheep farmers left in the 1980s, and two people came back in 1994. Conservation work ran in stages from 2000 to 2012, and the restored farm is now open as a museum.

Source: Wikipedia, "Koltur"

What's there

• Kolturshamar - the steep peak that shapes the whole island.
• The restored farmstead - turf-roofed stone buildings kept as a heritage site.
• The empty island - a place that lost its permanent population.
• The green shelf - the farmed ground below the peak.

When to go

June to August is the practical window. Helicopter seats are very limited and charters expensive. Landings depend on sea conditions.

Before you go

There is no regular ferry; access needs a charter or a helicopter seat booked ahead. There are no facilities at all on the island. Visits usually need arranging with the heritage authority.

Nearby

Hestur is east, and Vagar is northwest.

Key facts