Fugloy
Encyclopedia
Fugloy is the eastern-most island in the Faroe Islands
. The name means bird island, and refers to the large number of birds that nest on the island's cliffs.
on the south-coast and Hattarvík
on the east-coast. The Eystfelli cliffs, which are 448m are located on the east coast. Nearby on the 47 meter high sea stack Stapin there is also a lighthouse
, a natural arch feature and what looks like the outline of an Egyptian Pharaoh
(the Pharaoh's Face).
has been used on Fugloy to this day.
The Faroese parliament
has tried to work out plans for the future of the island, such as the island getting electricity in the 1960s. In the 1980s a road from Kirkja
to Hattarvík
was built and a helicopter
route to the island was established as well.
When the population was at its peak at the beginning of the 20th century, there were around 250-300 people living there. Due to a change in lifestyles and norms, island life has become less popular and people have moved away as a result. Today, there are only five people living all year around in Hattarvík
and some 20 in Kirkja
. There are few jobs on the islands; one shop and few jobs on the harbour are all that there is.
.
One of the most important stories of the island is that of the Floksmenn. They were a flock (group) of rebels, in the middle ages
, from Fugloy.
The most notorious of the separatists, (referred by the Danish
governmental officials in Tórshavn
) were Høgni Nev, Rógvi Skel, Hálvdan Ulvsson from Hattarvík
and Sjúrður við Kellingará, from Kirkja
.
These men controlled and savaged the northern parts of the Faroe Islands
for a long time.
This is one of the most important separatist myths of the Faroe islands
.
The smarter Sjúrður við Kellingará was forced to go the more militant way of rebellion
by Høgni Nev and Hálvdan Ulvsson who were more criminally minded.
All the four men were later caught and sentenced to death. Sjúrður við kellingar was shown mercy and amnesty
, but the story goes that he could not live on with the crimes that he and the others had committed under their "little" rebellion
and asked to be executed with the other Floksmenn.
In old Faroese Culture trolls played a large part in the mythology of the Faroe Islands
,
The Floating Island of Fugloy
It was said that Fugloy was once a floating island with trolls living on it. Men had tried several times to approach the island, but every time they tried, the trolls threw stones and curses at the men in the boats. After a long time the men grew tired of trying and were close to leaving the trolls with the island. But one of the men, a priest, wanted to try one more time, before giving up. The men got in the boats again and rowed once more to Fugloy. In the first boat to approach the island were the priest and some other men. When the trolls saw what was happening, they started to collect stones, and began throwing them at the men. All the men in the first boat were scared and wanted to sail home again at once, with the big stones flying through the air! They were about to turn round and sail home, when the priest got so angry and was in such great despair that he threw the bible
that he had brought with him on the trip at the trolls. The bible
landed right in front of the trolls, the ground started shaking, the island stopped floating, and in a split second all the trolls were transformed into little grassy hills, and now the men could at last settle Fugloy. The little grassy hills are still located around the island, and particularly, close to the Bygd (Kirkja
).
Black Guillemot
s are also present in great numbers on Fugloy.
The view over to the nearest islands Svínoy
and Borðoy
is excellent, and sunsets that can be seen are among the things that make Fugloy feature in old pictures of the Faroe Islands
.
Másin the mail boat
Until taken out of service in 2010, the 1950s mail boat Másin was used as transit to Fugloy, making a popular attraction in itself. A newer boat is now used as a replacement but at Kirkja, passengers still have just a few minutes to jump ashore and get bags and their things with them. Oil for the electricity plant on Fugloy is transported in oil barrels and garbage is transported by the same boat and must be landed at the same time.
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
. The name means bird island, and refers to the large number of birds that nest on the island's cliffs.
Geography
There are two settlements: KirkjaKirkja
Kirkja is a village on the island of Fugloy, Faroe Islands. Its Postal code is FO 766.Kirkja is one of two villages on the island of Fugloy that are connected both by the road built in the 1980s and by the ferry that connects both Kirkja and Hattarvík to Hvannasund on the larger island of Viðoy,...
on the south-coast and Hattarvík
Hattarvík
Hattarvík is a small village on Fugloy, Faroe Islands and the most eastern place in the country.*Population: 17 *Postal code : FO 767*Location: *Municipality: Fugloyar kommuna...
on the east-coast. The Eystfelli cliffs, which are 448m are located on the east coast. Nearby on the 47 meter high sea stack Stapin there is also a lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
, a natural arch feature and what looks like the outline of an Egyptian Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
(the Pharaoh's Face).
Mountains
There are three mountains on Fugloy:| Name | Height |
|---|---|
| Klubbin | 620 m |
| Norðberg | 549 m |
| Mikla | 420 m |
Future for Fugloy
Because the harbour of Fugloy is not protected by breakwaters, it has stopped any form of economic growth since the early 20th century. The island's only income has been agriculture and some fishing, but also the famous catching of birds such as the puffinPuffin
Puffins are any of three small species of auk in the bird genus Fratercula with a brightly coloured beak during the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among...
has been used on Fugloy to this day.
The Faroese parliament
Løgting
Løgting is the unicameral parliament of the Faroe Islands, a self-ruling dependency of Denmark.The name literally means "Law Thing" - that is, a law assembly - and derives from Old Norse lǫgþing, which was a name given to ancient assemblies. A ting or Þing has existed on the Faroe Islands for over...
has tried to work out plans for the future of the island, such as the island getting electricity in the 1960s. In the 1980s a road from Kirkja
Kirkja
Kirkja is a village on the island of Fugloy, Faroe Islands. Its Postal code is FO 766.Kirkja is one of two villages on the island of Fugloy that are connected both by the road built in the 1980s and by the ferry that connects both Kirkja and Hattarvík to Hvannasund on the larger island of Viðoy,...
to Hattarvík
Hattarvík
Hattarvík is a small village on Fugloy, Faroe Islands and the most eastern place in the country.*Population: 17 *Postal code : FO 767*Location: *Municipality: Fugloyar kommuna...
was built and a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
route to the island was established as well.
When the population was at its peak at the beginning of the 20th century, there were around 250-300 people living there. Due to a change in lifestyles and norms, island life has become less popular and people have moved away as a result. Today, there are only five people living all year around in Hattarvík
Hattarvík
Hattarvík is a small village on Fugloy, Faroe Islands and the most eastern place in the country.*Population: 17 *Postal code : FO 767*Location: *Municipality: Fugloyar kommuna...
and some 20 in Kirkja
Kirkja
Kirkja is a village on the island of Fugloy, Faroe Islands. Its Postal code is FO 766.Kirkja is one of two villages on the island of Fugloy that are connected both by the road built in the 1980s and by the ferry that connects both Kirkja and Hattarvík to Hvannasund on the larger island of Viðoy,...
. There are few jobs on the islands; one shop and few jobs on the harbour are all that there is.
History
The island has been populated since the Viking ageViking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
.
One of the most important stories of the island is that of the Floksmenn. They were a flock (group) of rebels, in the middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, from Fugloy.
The most notorious of the separatists, (referred by the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
governmental officials in Tórshavn
Tórshavn
Tórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn...
) were Høgni Nev, Rógvi Skel, Hálvdan Ulvsson from Hattarvík
Hattarvík
Hattarvík is a small village on Fugloy, Faroe Islands and the most eastern place in the country.*Population: 17 *Postal code : FO 767*Location: *Municipality: Fugloyar kommuna...
and Sjúrður við Kellingará, from Kirkja
Kirkja
Kirkja is a village on the island of Fugloy, Faroe Islands. Its Postal code is FO 766.Kirkja is one of two villages on the island of Fugloy that are connected both by the road built in the 1980s and by the ferry that connects both Kirkja and Hattarvík to Hvannasund on the larger island of Viðoy,...
.
These men controlled and savaged the northern parts of the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
for a long time.
This is one of the most important separatist myths of the Faroe islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
.
The smarter Sjúrður við Kellingará was forced to go the more militant way of rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
by Høgni Nev and Hálvdan Ulvsson who were more criminally minded.
All the four men were later caught and sentenced to death. Sjúrður við kellingar was shown mercy and amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
, but the story goes that he could not live on with the crimes that he and the others had committed under their "little" rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
and asked to be executed with the other Floksmenn.
Mythology
There are several myths connected to this island.In old Faroese Culture trolls played a large part in the mythology of the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
,
The Floating Island of Fugloy
It was said that Fugloy was once a floating island with trolls living on it. Men had tried several times to approach the island, but every time they tried, the trolls threw stones and curses at the men in the boats. After a long time the men grew tired of trying and were close to leaving the trolls with the island. But one of the men, a priest, wanted to try one more time, before giving up. The men got in the boats again and rowed once more to Fugloy. In the first boat to approach the island were the priest and some other men. When the trolls saw what was happening, they started to collect stones, and began throwing them at the men. All the men in the first boat were scared and wanted to sail home again at once, with the big stones flying through the air! They were about to turn round and sail home, when the priest got so angry and was in such great despair that he threw the bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
that he had brought with him on the trip at the trolls. The bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
landed right in front of the trolls, the ground started shaking, the island stopped floating, and in a split second all the trolls were transformed into little grassy hills, and now the men could at last settle Fugloy. The little grassy hills are still located around the island, and particularly, close to the Bygd (Kirkja
Kirkja
Kirkja is a village on the island of Fugloy, Faroe Islands. Its Postal code is FO 766.Kirkja is one of two villages on the island of Fugloy that are connected both by the road built in the 1980s and by the ferry that connects both Kirkja and Hattarvík to Hvannasund on the larger island of Viðoy,...
).
Tourism
The name Fugloy comes from the Faroese word fuglur, i.e. Bird so it's not surprising that the island has a rich fauna of sea and land birds, specifically puffins (Faroese: lundi) which inhabit the island in hundreds of thousands.Black Guillemot
Black Guillemot
The Black Guillemot or Tystie is a medium-sized alcid.Adult birds have black bodies with a white wing patch, a thin dark bill, and red legs and feet. They show white wing linings in flight. In winter, the upperparts are pale grey and the underparts are white. The wings remain black with the large...
s are also present in great numbers on Fugloy.
The view over to the nearest islands Svínoy
Svínoy
Svínoy is an island located in the north-east of the Faroe Islands, to the east of Borðoy and Viðoy. It is divided into two unequally sized peninsulas. The island takes its name from Old Norse, Svíney, meaning "Swine Isle"...
and Borðoy
Borðoy
Borðoy is an island in the north-east of the Faroe Islands. There are eight settlements: Klaksvík , Norðoyri, Ánir, Árnafjørður, Strond, Norðtoftir, Depil and Norðdepil. There are also three abandoned settlements: Skálatoftir, Múli and Fossá, all in the north...
is excellent, and sunsets that can be seen are among the things that make Fugloy feature in old pictures of the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
.
Másin the mail boat
Until taken out of service in 2010, the 1950s mail boat Másin was used as transit to Fugloy, making a popular attraction in itself. A newer boat is now used as a replacement but at Kirkja, passengers still have just a few minutes to jump ashore and get bags and their things with them. Oil for the electricity plant on Fugloy is transported in oil barrels and garbage is transported by the same boat and must be landed at the same time.
External links
- personal website with 6 aerial photos of Fugloy