Safe Return Doubtful

The Norröna docked at Tórshavn at 7:30 am this morning. Late last afternoon the conditions were so calm that it allowed the ship to sail through Yell Sound, the straits that run between the islands of Mainland and Yell. The ferry was less than a third full, but still a good number of people came out onto the deck to watch this special hour. For me, it was particularly significant.

I was on Shetland two summers ago, hiking on one outing to Fethaland lighthouse at the north tip of Mainland, now that was just a few hundred metres away from the boat. A few nights later, staying on a rocky beach a similar distance to the other side of the Sound in Yell.

Seventeen years ago the boat called into Scalloway. Shetland had invested in the new Faroese owned ship, again called the Norröna. It was built in 2003, costing 100 million euros, but the Shetland investment was seen to have run out in 2007, so the call in to Scalloway was ceased. She has a total of 318 passenger cabins and 72 crew cabins, which accommodates the space of approximately 1,482 passengers and 118 crew members. She has a total of 1,830 metres (6,000 ft) of trailer lane, with space for 800 cars or 130 cargo trailers; the less cars on board, the more cargo, and on this sailing two thirds of the space was for cargo. The previous boat still sails, but in Malta. 

Another advantage of sailing through the Yell Sound was that for ninety minutes or so, I had a UK cell phone signal. This offered me several bonuses; to enable me to receive BBC Sounds for another three weeks *, and to lengthen my ‘fair use’ period with EE. 

I took in the Shetland atmosphere with a couple of Dutch brothers in their early 40s. We had been chatting since the line to board in Hirtshals. They both had young families but were on a short break to the Faroes in their motorhome. They are enthusiasts of wild islands, and spend the short amount of time they could get away from their kids travelling to various of them, from the West Frisians, to Skye, Harris and Lewis, and South Funen in recent years. Of course I recalled and recommended my favourites, Yell and Unst, Seiland and Sørøya in the north of Norway. They had just five days in the Faroes before returning by ferry, and were including a visit to Suðuroy, the southernmost of the islands, another two and a half hour ferry journey each way. I doubt I’ll see them on land, I’m starting to the east, and they, to the west. We spent a few hours talking of remote and bleak rocks in cold oceans while other passengers bored themselves with more mundane pursuits, playing cards, or at the cinema, the casino, listening to the country singer, propping up the bar..

After docking I found a quiet place for breakfast, checked on my itinerary, and headed through two sea tunnels to Klaksvik, the second largest town of the islands, with about 5,000 inhabitants. Tórshavn has around 15,000 people, the islands in total around 55,000, about twice that of the Shetland Islands. Just an update on this.. as I arrived the islands are celebrating the population passing 55,000..

It is interesting to briefly compare the Shetlands with the Faroes more generally, as they are of a similar size of land mass, both about 1400 square kilometres. As well as being similar in their location in the North Atlantic, they have close links due to the Norse origins. However, whereas the Faroes is an independent territory thriving financially particularly with fishing and renewable energy, and with a growing population the Shetlands is part of Scotland, no longer in the EU, has a declining population and a much more mixed economy. 

I’d done some homework about fuel (diesel) prices. In litres Denmark is £1.51, more expensive than Germany, Netherlands and UK, all about the same at £1.40. Faroes is £1.18, but Iceland £1.96. I arrived here almost empty and will leave full..

In addition to fuel, at Klaksvik I went to the police station… but, breathing a sigh of relief, only to request a stamp in my passport for leaving the Schengen Area, which the Faroes somewhat surprisingly, is not part of. I had asked at the port, but was told that there is no immigration office, as they have no need for one. The police told me similar, and that they didn’t actually have a stamp, but sympathised as to why I needed one. I will have to make do with showing ferry tickets, if proof is requested. These two weeks outside Schengen, plus a week at sea, act to extend my 90 day allowance.. 

I was desperate to get outside though, and with the weather fine, took on Klakkur mountain at 450 metres, which dominates the skyline above the town, and affords an excellent 360 degree view of the typical green steep-sided mountains, cliffs and fjords. There were a few other visitors around.

I got taking to a couple from Washington DC, and an English guy with a Dutch girl-friend on a late hiking and camping holiday. They had spent such a wild and windy night last night that they took sanctuary in the toilet building midway through the night. On top of Klakkur though, it was pleasantly calm and almost warm, at 14C. 

There are plenty of wild spots for overnighting with the van, though this is strictly forbidden on the islands. It is enforced quite strictly in the summer season when there are many vans and motorhomes around, but not now, when most of the campsites have closed. I guess there must be less than ten vans and motorhomes on the islands at present. 

This is Viðoy island, to the north-east, and I have settled just above the long fjord to the north of Havannasund town, where tomorrow I will take a couple of short hikes around the coast. The wind has got up, about 25 miles per hour from the south, which is another reason for my location, somewhat sheltered. It’s great to be back in this environment.

It’s where I belong I am increasingly thinking… these wild northern locales.. though it’s taken me 64 years to realise that..

• in a widely unpopular move, the BBC have stopped allowing Sounds to be used overseas. This has been the case for about a month now. Some services are available through the BBC app, radio 4 and World Service, but a lot is not. This is because they couldn’t find a model that made any money for them. It is restricted to 3 weeks for UK license holders on holiday, but apparently then disappears. I have yet to test it out, and see whether a VPN will help..