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On the Faroese island of Eysturoy lies Funningsfjørður, one of the deepest fjords in the Faroe Islands. Chances are that on your way to the town of Gjógv drive past this impressive fjord, unless you choose to drive to Gjógv via Eiði. The view of the fjord is insane; from the car alone. The road is rolling on the slopes of surrounding mountains. Truly a treat to drive here! In the curve of the fjord lies the village of the same name, Funningsfjørður. From Tórshavn you can drive to the village in half an hour. There is not much to do in the village of Funningsfjørður, which has a population of less than 70, but you should visit it for the views alone.
Funningsfjørður and whaling
Funningsfjørður was founded in 1812 and flourished at the beginning of the 20th century due to whale hunting. Norwegian Conrad Evensen took over whaler Emma and started a whaling station in Funningsfjørður that was also named Emma. In addition to whale oil, Emma also produced bone meal. Emma was so successful in part because it was the only whaler to hunt whales in Skopunarfjørður, the fjord north of the islands of Suðuroy and Sandoy.
After the outbreak of World War I, whale processing in Funningsfjørður was suddenly over. The station was partially demolished in the mid-20th century and material was used to build the shipyard. Only in 2018 were the last remnants of the station removed.
The roads along Funningsfjørður
There are good roads on both sides of the fjord. The road on the eastern side takes you to the 23-population town of Elduvík. A quiet place, where it is slightly busier in the summer because of the local camping. Right along the coast is the natural harbor Gjógvin í Elduvík. The view from the road towards Elduvík is breathtakingly beautiful. But from the western side of the fjord, I personally find it many times more impressive. Funningsfjørður is narrow at first but gets wider and wider. Once you pass the angular coastline Elduvíksnes on the other side, the steep mountain slopes of neighboring island Kalsoy loom before you. It actually only gets more beautiful the more you head toward the town of Funningur!
Most beautiful view of Funningsfjørður
The best view of the Funningsfjørður fjord is from the vantage point Hvíthamar, which you pass on your way to Gjógv. After the town of Funningur you have to cross the mountain pass Gjáarskarð, after which you soon have the opportunity to park your car. It is a short walk to the viewpoint, where with a little luck (read: clear weather) you can see the highest mountain of the Faroe Islands Slættaratindur.
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