Nolsoy

Introduction

Nolsoy is an island in the Faroe Islands that is seen every time you go in and out of Torshavn, from where there is a passenger ferry. It is also the name of the only village on the island.

Geography

Nolsoy needs either a long visit or a very short one as both the walk to the southern lighthouse and the excursion to see the storm petrels are very time consuming. The latter requires an overnight stay as the birds only return from the sea late in the evening.
On the other hand it is worth a short trip just to see the village. The entrance from the harbour is through a whalebone arch. The houses are cheaper than those on Streymoy but some are extremely small. There is a cafeteria near the harbour.

Sights and Activities

• Storm petrel guided tour
• Borðan lighthouse walk.

Weather

Nolsoy isn't the first place that comes to mind for its nice weather. Actually, you should consider yourself very lucky if you don't have any rain, even if you just visit for a few days. Even the somewhat drier months of June to August still have 20 to 22 rainy days a month! From October to March it rains on all but a few days a month. Temperatures are never hot but it rarely gets really cold as well. Winter (December to March) night time temperatures average around 2 °C while average summer (July-August) temperatures hoover around a chilly 12 °C.

Getting There

By Boat

The only way to get to Nolsoy is by taking one of the regular ferries from Torshavn. There is enough choice regarding travel times, which makes it perfect to do a daytrip from the capital to go hiking on Nolsoy. The views towards Torshavn are fantastic as well.

By Car

Although you can take your car onto the boat, there is just a small stretch of road in and around Nolsoy town. A few locals might take their car, but for travellers there is no reason to.

Getting Around

Walking/hiking basically is the best and in most cases the only way to get around. From the town/harbour of Nolsoy there is a great hiking trail towards the lighthouse at the southern trip of the island with great views south towards Sandoy and several other islands. The round trip takes around 5 hours, including a few short breaks, so plan your ferry times accordingly.

Eat/Drink

External Links

Nolsoy Page