Osvald P. Hansen
See map on page 6
THE 6 REGIONS: VÁGAR AND MYKINES
Gásadalur village. Tindhólmur and Gáshólmur in the background.
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Vágar and Mykines Vágar and Mykines are the two western islands of the Faroes. Vágar hosts the modern international airport, which is situated on a level plain outside Sørvágur. Upon arrival, the airline passenger is offered a spectacular introduction to the beaut y of the Faroes, especially when landing from the west and the plane slips past the rugged splendour of Mykines, then alongside the towering basalt sea stacks at the entrance to Sørvágsfjørður, then over the picturesque village of Sørvágur and onto the runway. There are few airports in the world which offer such impressive vistas to the arriving visitor. These panoramas, however, provide only a hint of what visitors will soon discover on their exploration of these western isles. The tunnel under the Vestmanna Sound (4,900 metres) is of major importance for tourism as well as for everyday life in Vágar. At present it is possible to live in Vágar and benefit from all the possibilities and
options on the islands that are now connected: Vágar, Stremoy, Eysturoy and Norðoyggjar. Even if you do not live on Vágar, the options of the islands are that much closer and you are not dependent upon the clock. It is possible to drive to the picturesque village of Gásadalur now that the tunnel is open. The film ‘1700 metres from the future’ about the lack of a road connection made Gásadalur and the post route over the mountain world famous, but now the future looks bright for the survival of the village. Mykines is the perfect haven for solitary retreat. The home of thousands of migratory seabirds during the summer months, Mykines is considered to be the mysterious “paradise of birds” that the adventurous seafaring Irish monk, St. Brendan, described in the middle of the sixth century.