With more favourable weather in the forecast, we made the late-night decision to wake up bright and early and travel two islands to the east to Bordoy and Klaksvik, to catch the 7am ferry to Kalsoy. We had originally planned to take the van across, but the very small ferry (10-12 cars) fills up fast, and I was also not overly enthused about driving the island with one entirely single-lane road including four separate single-lane tunnels.
After the subsea roundabout and a coffee stop at the Magn in Runavik, we parked at the harbour in Klaksvik and waited for the ferry. Walking on the ferry instead, we paid the foot passenger fee and made the 20-minute crossing to Sydradalur on the island of Kalsoy. Public transit is conveniently timed with the ferry crossings, and we boarded the blue bus and enjoyed the stress-free trip up this rugged paradise. The bus dropped us off in Trollanes at the end of the line and the northern tip of the island.
We paid a fee and began the hike across a private farm up to the Kallur lighthouse, in what turned into the other Top Two experience of the entire trip. The start of the hike appeared gradual but felt less so, but once we turned the corner and could see the lighthouse and sheer green ramp ahead, we found a second wind.
After a few breaks along the way, we made it to the top - several rugged ridges separating the Kallur Lighthouse and two narrow trails to headlands. An even steeper cliff rises at the James Bond gravesite, a nod to the fictional character's 2021 death (and Daniel Craig's final turn as 007) in "No Time To Die", in which the villain's lair was filmed on the island of Kalsoy. While they filmed on location here, apparently Daniel Craig was never here and was green-screened in later from a studio.
We paused to enjoy the epic 360-degree scenery, especially once the others from the same bus snapped their pictures and headed back down, resulting in a luscious lull in one of the most scenic locales we've ever witnessed. I also hiked out one of the far narrow ridges for a shot back to the lighthouse, complete with bored sheep lazing near the edge of the precipice.
Eventually we had to leave, and began the equally scenic stroll back down to Trollanes, where we had a simple lunch of strawberry jam on fresh bread while awaiting the next scheduled bus. Here we made a bit of an error, as the 115pm bus only takes you one village south to Mikladalur. More on that later.
Once in Mikladalur, we explored the quaint village and made new friends, including a Scottish lady travelling alone, and an Australian couple originally from Scotland (she) and Ireland (he). I also made the long climb down several steep inclines to the water to visit the iconic Seal Woman statue and the epic views of Kalsoy's cliffs and the views across to neighbouring Kunoy. And the much slower climb back up.
So it turns out the public bus always starts at Trollanes before returning to the ferry. On a beautiful day where everybody and their grandmother decided it was the best day to visit the Kallur Lighthouse, that meant that when the 245pm bus arrived in Mikladalur to pick us up.....it was already full. The bus driver shrugged, apologized, and said he would be back at 405pm. We were all stranded in a tiny village with no stores or services other than a single unisex public toilet.
We started to worry if the next bus would result in the same fate, and began exploring various alternatives like walking (not advisable in dark single lane tunnels) or hitch-hiking, calling a rare and expensive taxi, or flagging down locals who looked like they might be heading south towards the ferry. In the end, we waited and it all worked out....and we reserved a later ferry crossing in the meantime just in case.
A group of relieved travellers boarded the ferry M/F Sam and commiserated over our shared fate, before parting ways back in Klaksvik. We opted for another dinner at the NOA Fish & Chips takeaway before spilling back into the van. We opted for a new campground tonight, a simple parking lot in the lovely town of Fuglafjordur ("fjord of the birds") at the end of another road back on Eysturoy.
Late in the day and late in the season, we had to check in and pay online.....which led to an hour on the phone with our bank because the credit card "security" feature required us to enter a code via a text we could not receive....all for a $40 camping fee. Alas. A light rain began and we settled in for the night.
Torshavn from above!
The stunning scenery never stops!
Boarding the ferry to Kalsoy in Klaksvik
Public transit to Trolllanes
James Bond's Grave
Kallur Lighthouse
One of those specks is me!
Starting back down....
The village of Trollanes (population 14) from the hike above
Lunch while we wait for the bus
Mikladalur village on Kalsoy
The Seal Woman
Mikladalur from the waterline
The island of Kunoy across the fjord
The M/F Sam arriving in Sydradalur
Arriving back in Klaksvik
Parked up in Fuglafjordur
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