Mykines

Mykines lies at the western end of the archipelago, a single village of turf-roofed houses and a hiking route out along the ridge to a lighthouse on the islet of Mykineshólmur, reached by a footbridge over a chasm. In summer the cliffs hold enormous seabird colonies - puffins in tens of thousands nesting in burrows along the path, along with gannets, guillemots and fulmars - and walking among them at close range is the reason most people come. The island's permanent population is tiny, and the ferry only runs in summer when the sea allows.

History

The name Mykines may be older than the Norse, from the Irish muc-innis, "pig island", perhaps a reference to whales, and pollen records suggest oats and barley were grown here around 625, possibly by early monks or hermits. In 1592 the Norwegian priest Peder Claussøn Friis described the Mykines mouse, with its long powerful hind legs; around 1595 a sudden storm wrecked fifty boats from across the islands and took all the working men of Mykines, and in 1667 islanders salvaged the cargo of the Dutch ship Walcheren, wrecked on their shore. The lighthouse on Mykineshólmur and the first bridge over the strait of Holmgjógv were built in 1909, a radio beacon and a telephone line came in 1928, a second bridge followed in 1953 and a third in 1989, and when the lighthouse was automated in 1970 the last keeper left the islet, which had been lived on since 1909 by up to 22 people (Wikipedia, Mykines, Faroe Islands).

What you'll find

• Puffin colonies - burrows lining the path in their tens of thousands.
• The lighthouse walk - the ridge route and the footbridge to the islet.
• The gannet colony - the Faroes' only gannetry on the outer cliffs.
• Mykines village - turf roofs and a handful of residents.

When to go

Puffins are present roughly from May to late August and gone by early September. The ferry runs in the summer season only and is cancelled regularly for weather. Booking ahead is essential and numbers on the island are capped.

Before you go

The ferry is small, the crossing is often rough, and cancellations strand people or prevent departure entirely - never plan a tight connection around it. A hiking fee applies and the lighthouse path may require a guide depending on current rules. Paths run along cliff edges in strong wind. Do not step off the path near burrows; puffin nests collapse underfoot.

Nearby

Vagar, Sorvagsvatn and Gasadalur.

Key facts