Sandoy is a mild and green island. Scoured smooth by the various ice ages, the highest mountain, Tindur, is 479 metres. Sand­oy is good for cyclists and hikers because of its rela­tive­ly flat terrain. The cliffs along the western shore, offer a unique hiking experi­ence in perfect peace and solitude.

From Skopun, the main ferry terminal, one can follow a hiking path west­ward to Høvdarhagi and then travel on south to the bay of Søltuvík. The landscape surrounding Søl­tu­vík with its open countryside is some­thing quite unusual for the Faroes. Idyllic as it may look on a summer’s day it is, however, noted for tragic shipwrecks in the treach­erous waters by the coast. A small one-lane road leads into Sandur along the steep cliffs west of the lake Gróthúsvatn.

Another option is to hike from Skopun following the cairns southeast to the peaceful valley, Slavans­dalur. Along the hike one can enjoy the vista over­looking the twin lakes, Norðara and Heimara Hálsa­vatn. In the valley there is an idyllic mountain cabin where one can enjoy a meal. Re­ser­vations can be made through the Sand­oy Tourist Office. The trail continues from the cabin through the valley alongside Sandsvatn, one of the larg­est lakes, stret­ched out under the towering crags above the hamlet of Traðir.

Sandur is an appropriate name for the lush and green village si­tu­ated near a broad sandy beach and the only sand dunes in the Faroes. The whole island takes its name from this village. The Tou­rist Office lies in the middle of the village. Here one can obtain in­for­ma­tion about the island and ar­range for guided tours. In a cluster of beautiful old houses in the heart of the village is the folk museum at a place called Koytu. All the villages have com­munity houses that are open to groups with advance re­ser­va­tions. Furthermore, overnight ac­com­modation is offered in the form of holiday cottages and B&B.

A private art collector, who was born and grew up in Sandur, has built a gallery to house his collection of Faroese art which includes works by Mykines and Ingálvur av Reyni. It is open to the public and well worth a visit.

The parish church is a fine example of the old Fa­roese wooden churches with black walls, turf on the roof, and a white belfry. Archaeological ex­ca­va­tions have documented that the present church is the sixth in succession built on the same site.

The ferry to Skúvoy sails from Sandur. The Viking chief­­tain, Sig­mundur Brestis­son, who brought Christi­an­ity to the Faroe Islands around 1000 AD, is buried on Skúvoy. He lived on the island and, according to the Faroese Sagas, he leapt into the sea from the cliffs of Skúvoy to escape the onslaught of Viking warriors command­ed by his arch rival, the chief­tain Tróndur í Gøta. Skúvoy is well known for its bird cliffs on the western side of the island. The cliffs rise vertically from the sea and the traditional gather­ing of birds and eggs by hun­ters suspended from long ropes is practised even to this day.

During the summer, the Hvít­hamar sails from Sandur around Skúvoy or along the west coast of Sandoy where one can ex­perience a seabird para­dise among the awe-inspiring sheer cliffs.

The road to the east­ern villages of Sandoy skirts the high cliffs overlooking the bay and village of Sandur, then leads into the interior valley. Huge boulders are scattered in this splendid valley, left behind when the glaciers from the Ice Age retreated after levelling the moun­tains of Sandoy.

At the beginning of the valley there is a side road to the  abandoned village of Skarva­nes. This narrow road brings one near the two lakes, Stóra­vatn and Lítlavatn, and from the village one has a magnificent view of Skúvoy and the two Dímun islands.

After taking the detour to Skarvanes, one can return to the main road and follow it until it divides. One fork leads to Skálavík, the other to Húsavík. The vill­ages are situated on either side of the di­vi­ding cape of Skálhøvdi. Skála­vík sits in a broad and fertile valley and from here one can go north to Núpsdalur and the dra­matic land­scape at Dysjar­nar. If one likes soli­tude, it is possible to stay in Norðasti Hagi in a house belonging to the farm, Dals­garður, in Skála­vík. The farmer can pro­­vide food from his own farm.

In Húsavík, one can still see the medieval ruins of the farm that be­lon­ged to the rich and mighty Dame of Húsavík. She was the Nor­wegian Guðrun Sjúrð­ar­dóttir, who also owned pro­perties in Shetland. Take a moment to enjoy the mer­maids and other figures on the jetties created by the artist Tróndur Patursson.

From Húsavík, the road leads to Dalur, the island’s southernmost village. The narrow road hugs the side of the mountain atop sheer cliffs plunging straight down to the crash­ing sea below. Curving around a towering head­land, the road drops steeply down the side of the moun­tain into the village, shel­te­red in the depths of a bowl-shaped valley.    

Leading up from Dalur is a twisting trail into the mountains that promises fine vistas to the southern islands. Most appealing  are the two “diamonds”, Stóra Dímun and Lítla Dímun; precipitous islands that are almost in­acces­sible. Weath­er per­mitting, the Sandoy Tourist Office offers tours to Stóra Dímun with Hvíthamar. This is an unforget­table adventure.