Keep Close To The Water

The hike starts off by walking through an industrial estate. We were told that it would feel like we are in totally the wrong place, walking in totally the wrong direction but to keep going, around the machinery and delivery lorries until we reach a small sheep pen that we would have to climb over.

Once through (or over) the sheep pen we were immediately on a small path with a steep drop on our right. The only reassuring thing was that the drop wasn't too far so chances of survival were still quite high if we were to fall.

The key is to stick as close as possible to the water as you feel is safe. At times it was steep, but if you start to walk further up the mountain to get away from the cliff edge, it can get dangerously steep later on and you'll have to turn back (we've heard this from so many other travellers since). So although it does feel like a safer option to move away from the rocky waters edge, stay close to it and you will reach Drangarnir.

There Are No Signs

Tourism is fairly new in the Faroe Islands which means that many of the hikes, especially Drangarnir, are not particularly obvious. There are no signs telling you which way to go. We actually didn’t bump into a single person in our entire day, unless you count the sheep ofcourse.

Here is a map with a rough guide of the route we took. You can see how the inland terrain becomes a lot steeper.

The Lighthouse means you're on track to Drangarnir!

We continued along this path for a while, about 30 minutes or so, aware that the drop to our right was getting steeper and higher with every step. A few times the path had fallen away into the water so we had no option but to hop over the small gaps left behind. The path, and coastline, does a gradual left turn towards a small cove that was once used to smuggle banned goods from Denmark to the Faroe Islands.

The path sort of disappeared at this point but we kept walking with the water on our right, having to clamber over a small fence and through a stream.

After crossing the stream, the path magically reappears and leads you towards two small waterfalls.

At this point we still hadn't seen a view of Drangarnir and we were eager to catch a glimpse. With any trace of a path having now disappeared, we made sure to keep the waters edge on our right as we scrambled our way forwards, leaving the small cove behind us.

Once we arrived at the top of the small hill, we could see a small lighthouse beacon just below us, which is used to help direct ships towards the village of Sørvágur.

The Final Push

We carried on in the same direction and suddenly there it was! Drangarnir in the distance! Our goal was in sight and now all that was left to do was to walk along the edge of an absurdly steep cliff without slipping down into the icy cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Simple stuff.

Just to add to the overall experience, it had been raining lightly since the beginning of the hike, which meant the grass was quite slippery. We had checked the weather before setting off but the weather in the Faroe Islands has to be one of the most unpredictable things we’ve ever experienced. A raincoat and good walking boots was the most important thing with us that day, except food ofcourse (we love food!)

We had been walking for 2 hours now and we could almost taste the celebratory chocolate bar! Drangarnir was so close we could almost touch it so we soldiered on towards the famous sea stacks. We had built up the courage to head towards what seemed like an impossibly steep, very slippery, unmarked route along the edge of the cliff.

The paths we took seemed to come and go, sometimes it would completely vanish before reappearing 4 metres below us meaning we would try to re join the path without loosing our footing and slipping down.

Certainly if you're scared of heights, or slipping down the side of the cliff into a very watery grave then this hike is probably not ideal. If you're looking for a thrilling and butt-clenching ride then this is absolutely the right hike for you.

After what seemed like an eternity but was actually around half an hour, the ground below our feet started to level out as we got nearer to our goal. The last 15 minutes of the hike were mostly through soggy grass that seemed to weigh our feet down with every step. But with a new found momentum, we pressed on and arrived at the famous cliff edge after a respectable 3 hours of walking.

It Will Be Worth It

All in all, the hike to this famous spot in front of Drangarnir was one of the most intense experiences we had in the Faroe Islands, but it was also the most memorable. There is no feeling that compares to standing face to face with the majestic Drangarnir, and Tindhólmur behind it.

You follow what at times feels like daredevil sheep tracks, with steep drops to one side and nothing to hold on to. Our buttholes were clenched so tight that if you were to put a piece of coal up there, in 20 minutes you’d have a diamond. Overall, the whole trip took us around 6 and a half hours including lunch and photos at Drangarnir.

Still, we made it back in one piece, and it was one of the most extraordinary days we've had in these magnificent islands.