Eysturoy is the second largest of the Faroe Islands and home to Slættaratindur, the highest peak in the archipelago. It rewards exploration — the landscape shifts from dramatic sea cliffs and mountain passes in the north-west to quieter, bird-rich wetlands in the south.
The mountain road between Eiði and Gjogv is one of the finest drives in the Faroes. At one point a free public telescope is trained on the sea stacks of Risin and Kellingin — a troll and a witch, according to legend — rising from the Atlantic below. The road itself, threading through high moorland with sea views in every direction, is reason enough to come.
The north-east of the island is equally striking. Roads lead out to the villages of Elduvik and Oyndarfjørdur through a succession of hanging valleys. At Oyndarfjørdur, look for the rocking stones on the foreshore — modest in themselves, but the village and the fjord surrounding them are anything but.
In the south, the lake near Nes is well regarded for birdwatching, particularly for waders and waterfowl.
