On the mountainside north of Hov, a formation of columnar basalt pillars rises from the hillside in the distinctive hexagonal stacks that volcanic cooling produces. The Faroe Islands are entirely volcanic in origin — vast basalt flows laid down some 55 million years ago — and Hovsegg is one of the more accessible places on Suðuroy to see this geology up close.
The climb to the formation takes around 40 minutes from the village. The reward, beyond the geological curiosity, is a clear view down over the rooftops of Hov, the harbour, and the southern stretch of Suðuroy's east coast. On a calm day the sea between here and the mainland of the Faroe Islands is visible to the north.