Let’s face it. Summer in the Faroe Islands is not by any measure a tropical experience. For warm breezes, endless sunshine and fancy cocktails on the beach, there are certainly better options elsewhere. But for staggering beauty, remarkable nature and exciting adventures, the Faroe Islands is the right choice. And you’ll see, the weather will undoubtedly impress you in other ways.
Some say the Faroe Islands is the land of maybe. The mysterious and unpredictable weather conditions make it challenging to plan ahead, resulting in the frequent use of the phrase “Maybe tomorrow”. Because of the fast-changing weather conditions in the Faroe Islands, visitors must bring along proper clothing and accessories that guard against all possible weather outcomes.
What to prepare for
The peculiarity of the Faroese weather allows for several seasons in one day. In fact, it is not unusual to experience sun, rain, wind, calm and fog all within the hour. These are the circumstances that make the Faroe Islands unique. With appropriate planning and useful accessories, you’ll be appropriately equipped to embrace whatever weather patterns would come your way. To make it all easier we’ve created this post, so you’ll know which essentials to pack for your summer visit to the Faroe Islands.
Summer season runs from early May to late August and delivers sunlight for up to 20 hours a day. This seasonal benefit allows you to seize the day from early morning to late evening ─ and you should. One way of doing this would be to tag along on our evening hike.
Due to the northern location of the Faroe Islands and the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, the weather never gets too cool and never too warm; it’s always fresh. Summer averages 7 to 12 degrees Celsius (47-54°F). Add to it a near persistent cold breeze, and you really capture the essence of the Faroe Islands. Not to forget that even at the height of summer, it still rains 12 days per month on average. You haven’t cancelled your trip yet, have you? Good. Below we take your through our list of essentials and detail our favourite methods when roaming the Faroe Islands.
What to pack for your journey to the Faroe Islands
Wear layers! A lightweight merino wool t-shirt or a similar base layer is a great start, accompanied by a mid-layer fleece or woollen sweater.
Jacket – we recommend a wind and waterproof shell jacket. The outer layer will prove quite essential for your experience. It is lightweight, wind- and waterproof, which makes it a godsend for the rapidly changing weather conditions. You wear it when it rains, or when you feel chilled; otherwise, keep it in your backpack.
Trousers – we recommend breathable and water resilient hiking trousers. Some people prefer them tight while others feel more comfortable in a looser fit. We leave that decision to you. The important thing is for you to acquire a pair of waterproof or water-resistant trousers that you feel comfortable in because, statistically speaking, you are very likely to encounter rainfall during your visit.
Hiking Shoes – We recommend ankle-high boots. The mountain terrain is primarily grass and rocks. The grassland is frequently wet, and you will occasionally run into muddy tracks, which makes the ankle-high hiking boots the best choice. Keeping your feet dry and happy is paramount.
Headwear & Gloves – we recommend a headover and thin gloves. If you intend to spend time in the mountains, chances are you’ll encounter the chilled North Atlantic breeze. Even if its summer it will get cold in the mountains without wind protection. It is, therefore, a good idea to bring a pair of thin gloves and a multifunctional headover to be used as either head- or neckwear. These items do not take up much space, but they will make your adventures in the mountains a more pleasant experience.
Backpack –Bring a medium-sized bag spacious enough to store some of your outer layers when it gets warm, as well as items such as water, energy bars, fruit, sunglasses etc.
Other accessories needed for the mountains:
- Phone – Important for apparent reasons. If you get injured, stuck, or lost in the fog, the mobile will be your most valuable item.
- GPS tracker – before embarking on your hike, remember to turn on a GPS tracker on your phone or your watch. If you get lost, the tracked GPS route will bring you back to the starting point and potentially save you from a bad experience.
- Sunglasses – never miss a chance to wear your sunglasses, right?
- Camera – If you intend to capture quality shots in the Faroe Islands, a good camera will make all the difference.
- Spare socks – if your hiking boots are top-notch you are not likely to need extra socks for hikes, but it’s still a good idea to bring along an extra pair just in case. Wet feet are a spoiler and the delight of putting on dry socks after a wet hike is not to be underestimated.
- Lunch – remember to bring a nutritious lunch on your hike. There is nothing more gratifying than enjoying a good meal once you’ve reached that mountain top. It will be your treat, and you will need the energy for the journey back home. However, if you sign up for one of our tours (which you should, of course!) lunch is provided, and you need not worry about it.
- Fruit or Energy Bar – for the occasional pitstop.
- Bottle of Water – although water from the mountain springs is drinkable, tap water is a little safer.
- A Small First Aid Kid – better safe than sorry!
To wrap it up here is the complete shortlist for hiking in the Faroe Islands
- Base-layer
- Mid-layer
- Jacket
- Trousers
- Shoes
- Headwear & Gloves
- Backpack
- GPS tracker
- Phone
- Sunglasses
- Camera
- Spare socks
- Lunch
- Fruit & Energy bar
- Water
- Small first aid kit
While this might all seem obvious to some, we hope you at least found one or two useful suggestions above. At the very least you can use our guidelines to double-check against your own list of things to pack to make sure you’ll reach the islands in relatively good shape. In case you forget an item or two – no worries, you can get whatever you need in stores across the Faroe Islands. Thank you for reading, and before you leave, you might want to take a look at or private tours we offer travellers to the Faroes. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us – we are happy to help!
Experience Faroe Islands is an operator focussed on providing authentic travel experiences in smaller groups, offering a range of hand-picked tours to some of the must-see locations of the Faroe Islands. By focusing on smaller groups, we ensure you get immersed in Faroese nature, culture and history while also being shielded from the crowds. See you soon.