How to dress and what to bring with you to the Faroe Islands?

What can be done to make a trip to the Faroe Islands successful? Prepare properly and take the most important things. Catch the list of things that must not be missing from your luggage.

When flying to the Faroe Islands, one should be aware that the weather on the spot is not pampering. There were several days of sunshine during our stay, but there were also two days when it rained constantly. Despite the middle of summer (we were there in mid-August), the temperature outside always indicated 12 degrees Celsius.

Unfortunately, the weather is not yet under our control, but we can prepare accordingly for the trip so that it will not be an obstacle. Which, of course, doesn’t mean that you have to go on the road at all costs, even in winds that tear trees out of their roots (although this is an extremely inappropriate comparison, as you won’t see trees growing naturally in the Faroe Islands, but I hope the message is clear ;-)).

The islands are famous for their beautiful views, but in order to enjoy them you often have to walk several kilometers on grass and mud, plus avoid close contact with sheep. There are no typical trails or paths that one follows – it’s more like simply following a particular direction. Add to that a strong wind or rain and I hope you can already see with your eyes that it can be tough in a sweatshirt and jeans, though.

That’s why we’ve prepared a short list of things you need to think about to make your trip a success:

Clothes and shoes

Basis. Most important is a decent rain jacket, with a minimum 10,000 membrane. Between 5,000 and 10,000 mm water column there is a colossal difference, so it is better to pay more and choose a better jacket. In addition, it’s good if the jacket has a coating that prevents water absorption, although I don’t recommend then immediately leaning on the seat of the car when you get into it straight from the rain ;)

We had the Quechua Forclaz 400 models from Decathlon (in both men’s and women’s versions), which performed well on several hikes. The models are, of course, waterproof, breathable, but the collar and hood are particularly well designed. At first we were worried that we would need a scarf and hat, but after using the welts, the wind doesn’t get in at all, so there was no need to put them on. The jacket is so tight that we were completely unaffected by rain or gusty winds.

Just wear thermal underwear (such as ski underwear ) under the jacket. When we went on our first tour, we had doubts that it would be enough, but being on the move it is the perfect combination and no fleece was needed anymore.

We also recommend that you bring along trekking pants that do not restrict movement. It would be good if they were water repellent and easy to clean (yes, we managed to get into mud almost up to our knees a few times). If you choose thinner ones ( Forclaz 500 model), you can also wear underwear with them. But if you choose a model that is at least slightly insulated (in our case, the Quechua Hike 950 model) then underwear is no longer necessary.

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Shoes – necessarily suitable for mountain hiking. Good grip, comfort, waterproofness and breathability are essential. Is it better short or ankle-length? I had a short one (the older equivalent of this model: Forclaz Flex 3) and it was completely sufficient for me (even after the aforementioned mud baths ;) ). Paweł used age-old ankle boots and did not complain that it was too hot.

What else? It’s worth taking a hat, scarf and gloves (with emphasis on the latter) just in case. Practical is a chimney/scarf buff, which can be used as a scarf or headband.

Also remember to take a change of clothes with you, which can be left in the car.

Backpack

If you plan to hike, then necessarily with a backpack, and if you hike in the Faroe Islands, then necessarily with a waterproof backpack cover ;) It is important that the backpack is comfortable, roomy and that it has a hip belt and a chest belt. We don’t need anything else to be happy. We took with us the models we described here. They work great for us on any trip.

Going on the road we took at least one backpack, in which we packed a fleece (just in case), food, drink, something for our daughter. The second person usually walked with a carrier.

Thermos, bottle and food containers

As already mentioned, the trails here are unlikely to be super-traveled ;) This means that you won’t find stores or hostels along the way, where you’ll enter to warm up with hot tea. Ba, even in smaller settlements it’s hard to find any store, although someone would probably treat you to tea.

With this in mind, it’s a good idea to simply take something to drink and eat with you. Whenever we set off on the road (even when we didn’t plan a long route) we took with us a thermos of warm tea with lemon, which we sometimes left in the car. On days when it poured like an onion, our refuge was a dry car with a mug of hot tea.

For this we took a bottle of boiled water and some snacks, such as cereal bars, fruit, nuts, chocolate. Most brought from Poland, but also a few bought locally. For longer routes, we simply made sandwiches. So it’s a good idea to have some food containers with you, or paper bags for sandwiches.

Food

Speaking of food :) Knowing what the prices are in the Faroe Islands, we decided to take up cooking locally and take large supplies from Poland (we had extra luggage for Olive, which we used for the first time). You can read more about the prices themselves here.

We mainly took safely packaged cold cuts, cheeses, tomatoes, bread, cabanas, tea, fruits, sweet snacks, condiments and a lot of food for Olive. We could actually buy everything locally, but prices aside, some things are of questionable quality (especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables).

Good humor and a lot of patience

Finally, the most important. Remember, it is only up to you whether you will remember this trip well or not :)

Will getting up to your knees in the mud make you laugh to your heart’s content or worry for the rest of the day? Will the fact that it’s raining in the morning make you stay in the hotel or start looking for sunshine on other islands?

We happened to drive back and forth across the island of Streymoy in search of sunshine one day, and although we only found it at the end of the day, it allowed us to discover several small settlements and an interesting, easy route by Vestmann.

Summary

The above-mentioned points will significantly increase your comfort during your trip to the Faroe Islands. In this challenging region, it is the weather conditions that dictate what we will be given to see and what we won’t, and you just have to deal with it. Fortunately, this means we can discover new corners and places we would never get to.

Did we forget something? Anything else worth taking with you on your Faroe Islands trip?

Let us know in the comments! :)

See all our posts about Faroe Islands:)