Fuglafjørður – Hellurnar
Bus route 400 runs to Fuglafjørður.
The trip begins at the information office in the middle of the town. Walk up the road west of the football pitch.
The first stretch of the path is through meadow. Above the lowest cairn is a ridge called
Rossaryggur (The horse back). Traces of the path are seen winding up it. Fuglafjørður is behind you and to the west, you can see Blábjørg, Jøklaskarð, Gjógvaráfjall and Niðan á Hús, where people from Fuglafjørður hid from pirates in the old days. Then comes Nón (where the sun hits at nónbil – at 3 p.m.), Breiðaskarð, Kambur, Trælavatnaskarð, Tyrlar and towards east Ritafjall (Leirvíksfjall to people from Fuglafjørður).
The path from Fuglafjørður to Hellurnar is called Sjúrðargøta. There is a story about a giant
from Suðuroy who went to Oyndafjørður to test his strength. No one dared to fight him. The people from Oyndarfjørður urged Sjurður, the farmer, to challenge the giant. He wanted his youngest son, also named Sjúrdur, to try. They wrestled and Sjurður beat the giant. His father paid him well for his deed.
On the way up to Fuglafjarðarskarð, you walk along Malunar Hav (Malan’s rock). There is a
story about a milkmaid named Malan, who was pregnant and was teased by the other milkmaids for not keeping up with them. Malan picked up a 176 kg rock and challenged the others to do it. They could not. 100 m west of the path runs Neytakonukeldan (The Milkmaid’s spring). The milkmaid’s tankard, which could be used to quench one’s thirst, lay here.
At the top of Skarðið, you see two large cairns. An old custom is that each time you pass
Skarðið, you throw three small stones at these cairns, while saying: “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost”. This is meant to protect you from getting lost and to bless the trip. To the north from Skarðið, you can see the village Oyndarfjørður and the mountains Tindur, Knúkur and Sandfelli.
On the first Sunday in August, it is the custom to hold a public meeting on Skarðið in the open air with speeches and songs.
From Skarðið, it is possible to extend your walk by 40 minutes and walk up to Altarið on
the top of Rustakambur. From here, there is a fine view of the Northern islands and Norðurhavið. Hulduheyggjar lies to the west when you walk down from Skarðið. Here, a huldu woman (grey elvish people of the outfield) received help in childbirth from the midwife from Dalbøur in Fuglafjørður. The midwife received a good reward from the huldu folk.
Another story tells about a landownership struggle between the Oyndarfjørður farmer and Gullbrandur, a farmer in Fuglafjørður. Gullbrandur was killed and hidden in Gullbrandshellið and later buried in Gullbrandsleiði, which this path passes.
Approaching Hellur, you walk down Kliv and down Spreingisbrekka. It is a little steep to
walk, until you come to the outfield gate.
Bus route 481 runs from Hellur to Oyndarfjørður and Skálabotnur.
Source: “Walking in the Faroe Islands” published by the Faroese Tourist Board in 2003.
