MAd4Travel

May 2026 - June2026

Today we leave Torshavn and venture onto a new island and a new place to stay. The weather was nice again today, so before leaving Streymoy we completed the activity that had been cancelled the day before.
We first drove up into the mountains with a river cutting through a glacial valley below us before turning off, and descending a steep winding road into the coastal valley of Nordradular. The valley opened up at the cliff edge giving us great views of the coastline and the islands of Koltur and Hestur.

The snake road toward Nordradulor valley

Road scenery

Sheep on the horizon

We then retraced our route and crossed Streymoy to take the next undersea tunnel to a new island, Eysturoy. This undersea tunnel was different to the others because it has the world’s only undersea roundabout. The roundabout makes an impressive site whilst travelling under the Atlantic Ocean. Lite up in blue, green and red with lots of human statues circling the light.

The only undersea roundabout in the world

Once on Eysturoy, we drove from our entry in the south to the most northern tip,
the village Gjogv (pronounced Jake’v).
Gjogv is famous for its 200 metre long sea filled gorge running into the village. For centuries, the gorge was used as a landing place for local boats, the remains of which can be seen today. Its an attractive village with many traditional houses in beautiful surroundings. Looking north out to sea, the next land mass is Iceland. Looking south, alpine meadows stretch up into jagged mountains.

Gjojv, looking toward the ocean

Gjojv (will win lot a point in scrabble)

The gorge at Gjogv (nope, don't know how it is pronounced )

Those mountains looked irresistible so we drove out of the village and did a short hike to explore them further. Our path was along a cliff with great views of the valley below and the island of Kalsoy in the distance. When we started the walk it was warm and sunny but by the time we had got back to the car low cloud had descended and visibility was poor.

Road to Funninger

Still snow on the mountain

It was time to go down to lower elevations and visit the fishing village of Funningur. Full of the usual charm the village is said to be the place of the first human settlement on the islands. Commemorative artwork and information board explain the story.

Aerial view of Funninger and the fjord

Childhood memories mural

Sheep mural

Memorial to the first settlers on the islands

Memorial to first settlers on the Islands

It rained all day and low cloud covered the mountains, on our first day in Klaksvic. It didn’t matter though as we had planned a day of none driving anyway. The bonus was it was Nordoyastevna, the traditional festival to open the rowing season on the Faroe Islands. People were in traditional dress and looked very smart. There were rowing races using traditional boats, which we could just about see from our balcony, so didn’t need to stand in the rain. The day was then completed by a firework display at the local football ground. We didn’t attend the final event as the fireworks were not let off until half past midnight. Although, again we could see them from our balcony and in the dry.

A day a chilling out due to weather , a few hours later, we couldn't see the town at all

Some traditional dress

Slupp, the Faroe Islands beer

Klaksvik harbour when the fog lift

Sea rowing regatta,raditional sea rowing is the national sport of the Faroe Islands.

Rowing regatta

The next day started the same way the previous had ended, rain and low cloud. The forecast, however, suggested the weather would improve in the afternoon. So we had a leisurely start to the day.
Just after lunch we drove out of Klaksvic towards our activity for the afternoon. A rock causeway, half way down the fjord, gave us access to the island of Kunoy. Kunoy has just two towns and one road. You arrive on the island at the town of Haraldssund, then take a single lane road tunnel to the other side of the island and our destination of Kunoy. Its the bigger of the two towns and looks out over the fjord to the island of Kalsoy.
Kunoy has the only woodland on the islands and this is what we had come to visit. We walked up from the centre of the town towards a mountain amphitheatre and the woodland that nestles in its foothills. The mountains still had snow on them, which the locals had told us was unusual for this time of year.
The woodland was planted in 1914 so is in a mature state. It consists of Ash, Spruce and Birch trees and takes about 10 minutes to amble from one end to the other. The trees surround a massive boulder called Eggjarsteinur, which is believe to have toppled down from one of the mountains. A single rope on either side of the boulder allows you to climb on top. Anne and I had just had lunch so didn’t bother with the climb.
There is a path along the base of the mountains where you emerge from the wood. We walked along this for a short distance then turned back when a stream blocked our route. It was then a matter of retracing our steps to the town and our car.

The entrance to the Kunoy Island tunnel, single lane tunnel

Kunoy resident, well the other were tourist couple from another village

Traditional building

Amphitheatre

Unsual to see on Faroe Islands, some woodland

It was now our last day in the Faroe Islands. We left an overcast Klaksvic around 10:00 and drove (1:30hrs) across four islands to reach Vagar and our departure airport. Each time we emerged for the tunnel onto a different island the weather had changed, and to begin with, not for the better. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for Vagar, which greeted us with a bit of blue sky. Ideal, as we had planned a short hike before taking the plane.
Along the cliffs above Sandavagur runs a path to a view point. From that viewpoint you can see a very pointy sea stack, going by the name of Trollkonufingur. Legend has it, that a giant witch was attempting to steal the archipelago to take back to Iceland. However, she arrived too late to do the deed and the sun turned her to stone (that’s why giant witches work at night). The petrification process caused her to fall in to the sea. Her head is now the rocky island just off the coast and the finger she gave to the sun, the pointy sea stack we see today. The sea stack has only been climbed 12 times and the attempts have caused at least one fatality.

Trøllkonufingur or Troll witch finger, was trying to throw the islands toward Iceland but turned to stone at sun rise and fall in the sea

Weather on the move, always on the Faroe Islands

The pleasant hike was our last activity on the Faroe Islands. From there it was a short drive to the airport and flight to Copenhagen, Denmark. We had really enjoyed our time on the islands, were quite lucky with the weather and were sad to leave.

We overnighted in Copenhagen at an airport hotel. Then caught a flight back to the UK the next morning.

Personal Observations & Interesting Facts

1. Many millions of years ago the Faroe Islands broke off from what we today know as Greenland. Ending up in the middle of the north Atlantic Ocean.
2. Glaciers, wind, rain and sea have moulded the islands into what they are today. Mountainous with steep sea cliffs.
3. What is unusual on all the islands is the lack of trees. A few have been planted in the towns, but beyond that there are none (except for Kunoy Woods). The reason for this, we guess, is that grass is better suited to the soil and harsh Atlantic climate.
4. The Faroe Islands have almost no water aquifers so rely on rain for the water needs. Fortunately the Islands receive rain on almost 300 days of the year, so there is no shortage of water.
5. The islands have been inhabited since around the 7th century. The first settlers were from Northern Britain most likely from what we know as Ireland and the Scottish Isles today. It was once believed that the Vikings were the first settlers but they didn’t arrive until over 100 years later. When they did arrive they ceded control of the islands and banished the current settlers.
6. The islands have a good and well maintained road network, although sometimes only single lane. Land tunnels cut through the mountains and sea tunnels connect many of the islands (the rest are served by ferries). The Faroe Islands have the world's only undersea roundabout.

Undersea tunnel mural, one of many on this 12km tunnel

The colouring is probably to let us know we are under water

7. Sheep roam everywhere and are often found on the road, creating a driving hazard. They area reared for the wool and meat.

Sheep have priority

The Faroese sheep, a small, extraordinarily hardy breed belonging to the Northern European short-tailed group, introduce over a millennium ago

Sheep living on the edge

8. Fishing still is the mainstay of the economy. Although the importance of Salmon Farming has grown whilst conventional sea fishing has declined. Most Fjords are now home to a salmon farm. Tourism is growing and now contributes a fair share to the economy. Diversification into IT and Financial Services is in its early stages.

Salmon farm

9. The Faroe Islands have their own language which is similar to Icelandic (Not Danish as might be expected). It is close enough to be understood by Icelandic speakers. However, and unsurprisingly, English is widely spoken across all of the Faroe Islands.
10. The Islands (18 in total) population is around 56,000 and has one of the highest birth rates in Europe.
11. The Faroe Islands are technically a Danish overseas territory, although they function as an independent country. Denmark would provide military support should it be needed and their currency is pegged to the Danish Krona.
12. Waterfalls are everywhere on the Faroe Islands, you can usually see one from wherever you are standing. They tend to be a wide sheet of shallow water, tumbling down the mountain side, forming a stream in the valley below. Occasionally, they cut a grove in the rock and form a deeper and more powerful channel of water. What ever form they take they are an integral part of the landscape and enhance the beauty of the scenery.

May 2026 - June2026

We had left Copenhagen in warm sunshine and arrived two hours later in Vagar to light rain and a loss of 15 degrees. We were expecting it, so weren’t shocked. Our taxi driver took us the short distance into the neighbouring town of Sorvagur. We had booked a beautiful apartment in town for two nights and were pleased to get in and out of the damp dull weather.
The following mornings excitement quickly lapsed when we heard our boat trip to see a local Puffin colony on the island of Mykines had been cancelled. The reason for the cancellation was due to the weather. Although our enclosed harbour was sunny but chilly due to the strong breeze, out at the puffin island the wind was too strong to safely moor the boat. We therefore spent the day enjoying our local surrounding, in awe of the dramatic scenery, and dinning at a local restaurant.

Sorvagur beach

Sorvagur fishing fleet

View from our Sorvagur accommodation

The following day we picked up our rental car and began the first of numerous road trips. First stop was the little coastal town of Vestmanna on the adjacent island of Streymoy. To get from one island to another we used the underwater tunnel. The Faroe’s have many of these, together with a fair few mountain tunnels.
Vestmanna has an impressive waterfall that tumbles down the edge of town and the ruins of a Viking long house. After a short stroll investigating the town highlights we drove south to the capital, Torshavn.

Vestmanna village

Torshavn was to be our base for the next four nights and accommodation was a ground floor apartment on the edge of town. However, before checking in we took the opportunity to explore the town. First was a spot of lunch then a look around the old town. A small area around the harbour retains buildings dating back a couple of hundred years. These have been kept in their original state and gave us a glimpse of times gone by.

Old town of Torshavn, the capital of Faroe Islands

Old town Torshavn

Our first full day from our Torshavn base was a road trip to the neighbouring island of Sandoy. Up until recently you would have had to take the ferry, but since 2023 a 11km underwater tunnel provides access. To keep the underwater drive interesting, Viking murals have been painted on the walls and stopping points provided to view them.
When we left Streymoy it was cloudy and dull but we were greeted with sunshine when we emerged from the tunnel on Sandoy.
Our first destination was a coastal hamlet of Soltuvik. The scenery on the drive was the main selling point and it was spectacular. The narrow single lane gravel road hugged the cliff edge and crossed sheep filled valleys. It was wild and beautiful and we had it mostly to ourselves. Soltuvik consisted of a small farming community, a black sandy beach with uniquely rounded stones and remnants of a ship wreck. And fantastic views of course. Well worth the drive to see it.

Farmer's request

In November 1895, a shipwreck took place in the area. The ship sank and 28 people drowned. Only one person survived the tragedy.

Cliff road

Cliff road

On the way back and just before we reached the small town of Sandur, we came across a strange display at a picnic site. A large boulder had been covered by a community knitted blanket with colourful Norse embroidery. Attached to the front was a buxom woollen maiden.

The Witch Rock:The "Yarn Bombing": Every summer, local women knit and crochet colorful, custom-fitted covers that are wrapped around the stone

From here we continued south down the island to the fishing village of Skalavik. We were seeking lunch and had been recommended “Cafe in a Molini”. A tiny place tuck away next to the harbour. The decor was lovely in an old worldly kind of way, the staff were super friendly, the views of the Atlantic Ocean out of the window spell binding and the food was excellent.

Cafe in A Molini, lovely place to have a lunch

Next stop was the coastal town of Husavik a bit further south. We were here to see the Tumbakki, ancient grassed roofed storage buildings. Very similar to those we saw in Newfoundland.

tumbakki ,a historical site in the Faroe Islands consisting of ten mysterious stone and turf sheds located in the village of Húsavík

Scenery on Sandur Island

We now headed back north to the town of Sandur to look around the church. The church sits on a site used since the 8th century when the vikings first built on it. Excavations have unearthed many Viking artefacts as well as silver coins originating in the middle east. The church that stands today is the sixth on the site, each built on top of each other, and dates back to 1839.

Sandur church

Sandur beach, locals said it's the best and only beach to swim. We can't confirm, we didn't try!

A short chat with a German couple travelling around the island, then we headed back to Streymoy.
Just the other side of the sea tunnel we made a short detour to Kirkjubour. Here the impressive ruins of a 13th century cathedral look out over the strait between Streymoy and Sandoy. For such an age the remaining brickwork is in good condition and even some of the carvings are still visible.

Cathedral ruins at Kirkjubour from around 13th century

Kirkjubour old farm house

The plan for the next day was to do the boat trip to Mykines, which had been cancelled on our first day. However, we got an email the night before saying it had been cancelled, because of the weather again. So we explored the northern part of Streymoy instead. We drove straight up to the top Streymoy to begin with then worked our way back.
The tiny fishing village of Tjornuvik sits at the northern tip of the island. Famed for its surfing in the enclosed bay, the waves were too gentle for any activity today. We took a short walk through the village and round the harbour to take in the magnificent scenery. We watched male Eider Ducks fight over their females, observed locals going about their daily lives and visited an old viking grave, before heading back south.

Tjornuvik village

Fish drying

Eider ducks courting

Tjornuvik,Risin (The Giant) and Kellingin (The Witch) were sent by an Icelandic chief to steal the Faroe Islands and drag them back to Iceland but as sun rise were petrified

Tjornuvik village view

Access to Tjornuvik is via an narrow cliff road, only wide enough for one vehicle. This meant we had about five minutes to wait at the village traffic light before we could leave.
Our route south took us back along the only road, sometimes only single lane, which hugged the coastline and provided great views of Eysturoy the neighbouring island. We then turned inland and followed a single lane road through a sheep filled glacial valley. Eventually emerging at Saksun on the west coast. Again, more dramatic scenery and a bay almost cut off from the ocean. Here the sea squeezes through a narrow gap between two cliffs to fill the bay with water. As everywhere, numerous waterfalls tumble down the cliffs before forming streams that end up in the bay.

The road in/out of Tjornuvik, single lane

Waterfall by the road

Saksun bay

We grabbed a Faroe lunch, then looked around the farm museum. Our Faroe lunch consisted of three different local meats laid out in open sandwiches on local baked bread, very tasty if a bit salty.
The farm museum consisted of a farm house and outbuildings restored to how they would have functioned in the 19th century. We were the only visitors so the custodian , a young Italian girl, acted as guide for us. It was fascinating, informative and not a way of life we would have fancied.

Farm museum at Saksun

Back along the road same road, then down the main road heading south. Our next stop was Vid Air and the old Whaling Station. This is an open air museum and free to enter. Information boards explain the buildings and machinery you are looking at. Our self guided tour was short but very interesting and gave us a better understanding of whaling in the late 19th and early 20th century. There was also a jaw bone from a Sperm Whale to gave a bit of prospective.

Old whaling station now an open museum

Finally we got our boat trip to see Puffins. Not the ferry to Mykines but something better as it turned out. Having the ferry cancelled for the second time we booked a Puffin Safari instead.
We therefore left Torshavn in good time the following morning to travel to Sorvagur to meet up with the eight other guests on the trip. Once into our survival suits we boarded the Zodiac and cruised out of the harbour. For the next hour we toured along the western coast of Vagar admiring the rock formations, waterfalls, caves and most importantly the Puffins.
The puffins were on rock outcrop nests and fishing on the water and view was pretty good considering it was from the Zodiac. What made it even better was that the wind was light, there was no rain and we even got a bit of sunshine.

Survival suit needed to go on boat trip

Rock formation

Mulafossur fall, the only waterfall that drops directly in the ocean

Arch with a view

Tall cliff (rock gulley)

Sea stacks

Atlantic Puffin on cliff

Happy with our boat trip we continued the activities for the day with a short drive to Gasadalur.
Gasadalur is home to one of the most famous waterfalls on the Faroe Islands, Mulafossur. We had seen it from the water earlier now we could also see it from the top. Mulafossur is famous because it is the only waterfall on the islands that drops directly into the ocean. Its waters are also said to be used in the beer with the same name.

Mulafossur and surrounding scenery

Impressive as the waterfall was, the highlight of Gasadalur, and one we hadn’t expected, was the Puffin nest on the top edge of the opposite cliff. We had been lead to believe that a trip to Mykines Island would be our best (only) chance to see Puffins close up from the land, but here they were.
We approached the edge of the cliff quietly, slowly and respectfully, joining a fellow wildlife photographer. The birds were on a lower ledge about 2 to 3 meters away. They didn’t appear concerned by our presence and continued to go about their daily business, a bit of nest maintenance and fishing reconnaissance. We remained watching them for almost a hour, waiting for the perfect photograph and observing these beautiful little birds. Spending almost 10 months of the year out at sea and only coming ashore to breed, viewing them like this is a rare and magical privilege.

Atlantic Puffin

Puffin

Puffin taking off

Fulmar nesting

All this excitement had made us hungry so we stopped in Sorvagur for lunch. When we emerged from the cafe the weather was on the change, the sun and blue sky had disappeared, dark clouds were forming and light rain was in the air. This change is very common in the Faroe Isles, but it could be better on another island. So for the moment we stuck with the plan and continued back towards Torshavn on Streymoy and hoped for the best.
By the time we emerged from the sea tunnel onto Streymoy the weather had got worse and we had to negotiate very low cloud and rain all the way back. Needless to say the late afternoon activities had been cancelled.

Foggy mountain pass

mountain pass, no fog, on the other side of the Tunnerl

It was now time to change locations and venture onto a new island and a new place to stay, but that is for Part 2.

May 2026

[Since our last blog, Costa Rica, we haven’t published anything until now. There are several reason for that. Our 2025 trips to France, Crete & Cyprus where to catch up with Friends. The two months in South Africa over Xmas & New Year covered ground contained in previous blogs. And the week in April 2026 we spent in Istanbul was just a city break]

The journey was smooth an seamless from leaving our home to standing on our loft apartment balcony gazing over a damp downtown Copenhagen. Although both tired and suffering a bit from our various ailments, we were keen to get out and have a look at the city. The one hour stroll was rewarding for getting our bearings and glimpsing the buzz of Saturday night.

Copenhagen canal by night

View from our Copenhagen hotel balcony

By the following morning, the rain had cleared and the sun beamed down from a cloudless blue sky. We were rested and ready to explore.
From our apartment we wandered the cobblestoned streets of old Copenhagen, admiring the architecture and reading the stories associated with the numerous statues we encountered. The canal system makes Copenhagen quite unique and adds to its attraction. One of such needed to be crossed, via a marble bridge, to reach the Christiansborg Palace. The palace complex consisted of grand buildings, a tranquil garden and riding arena, enough to keep us busy for some time.

Old Town with cobblestone street, Copenhagen

Thermometer in Copenhagen center

One of the many canal in Copenhagen

the "Fuck Q-Park" Proptest monument against falling trees to build a car park which locals don't need

A mews in Old Copenhagen

Chritianborg Palace, Copenhagen

Had to look at a Lego shop, the county where it was invented

A bit of culture was in store for the afternoon, in the form of a visit to the Carlsberg Glyptotek. The Glyptotek is an impressive building housing an art collection donated to the city by the family that founded the Carlsberg brewing conglomerate. One of the stipulations for the donation was that the building would compliment the art that it was to house, this achieves admirably.

Glyptotek museum, it represents the private art collection of Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of the Carlsberg Breweries.

Inside the Glyptotek museum

Another bright and sunny day and another Copenhagen adventure. First stop was the City Hall to see its impressive clock and architecture. Then it was time to make use of the Metro and get over to the east of the city. Osterport our destination. A green oasis on the edge of the city and where Copenhagens canals spill into the Baltic Sea.
We are here to see, amongst other things, the Little Mermaid. Possibly Denmarks most famous landmark, it is often ridiculed as being underwhelming. From our viewpoint, this is harsh. It may be small, but its unique and a quality sculpture.
Whilst in the area we took a good look at the impressive Gefion Fountain and the Kastellet fortress.
Kastellet sits within a wooded area surrounded by a moat. Once an important military defence it is now more of an administrative complex, but still guarded by military personal.

City Hall, Copenhagen

Jens Olsen's World Clock, a mechanical astronomical masterpieceIt calculates true solar time, global mean time, sidereal time, the Gregorian calendar, leap years, the migration of celestial poles, and planetary orbits.

The little mermaid inspired from Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale

The Godess Gefjon transformed her 4 sons in Oxen to plough as much land as possible in 24h00 creating the island of Zealand

Kastellet military complex

From here we started our walk back, exploring the streets as we did so.
We paused to explore the Nyhavn canal en-route. Once a seedy part of town but know quite chic and full of restaurants, colourful buildings and a variety of boats. From here we passed through the main shopping area back to the apartment.

Soldiers on the move

Nyhavn canal, 17th Century old sailor place now upmarket tourist attraction

It was now time for a change of scenery. We could have stayed longer in Copenhagen but the plan was to see a bit of Zealand. Denmark is made up of multiple islands and the one we are currently on is Zealand.
A taxi back to the airport, and with our rental car secured, we started our road trip.
First stop was the little town of Hillerod to see Frederiksborg Slot. A magnificent fortified palace surrounded by a moat. Before entering the palace we had a quick look round the gardens and took a pleasant boat ride on the adjoining lake. From the boat you could really appreciate the grandeur of the palace. The palace was just as impressive inside and provided a glimpse of life during its occupancy.

Fredericksborg Castle

Frederiskborg castle from the lake

Frederiskborg Castle corridor

Frederiskberg exhibition of tapestry

Frederiksborg Castle amazing chapel ceiling

A further short drive got us to our overnight accommodation in Helsingor. Helsingor is a coastal town on a narrow strait where the Baltic Sea enters the Atlantic Ocean, with the Swedish coast very visible on the opposite side of the strait.
At one time Helsingor was the wealthiest town in Denmark, due to the levy it charged to ships passing through the strait. With that wealth came opulence and the building of a grand palace, Kronborg Slot, with views out over the waterway.
Kronborg Slot was our main focus for the following day’s visits. Similar to yesterday’s palace but different enough to avoid a repeat event. The palace was renowned for its lavish parties. These parties would last several days and included noble guest from all over Europe. The great banqueting hall was where most of the entertainment took place and where we started our visit. Multiple courses of food and drink were provided, including a “Vomit Bucket” for those who over indulged. After a couple of hours investigating all the rooms, including the dark damp corridors of the basement, we were ready for something else.

Kronbord Castle entrance

Kronborg Castle courtyard, the setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet

Kronborg Castle cellar

Holger Danske this legendary warrior sleeps deep in Kronborg Castle and will only awaken to defend the nation in its darkest hour.

It was now raining, so the maritime museum seemed a good bet. Housing detailed models of the Danish maritime fleet through the ages and fascinating shipwreck commentary, it filled a surprising amount of time.

With the rain now more persistent, there was just time to visit Han, before seeking shelter back at the apartment. Han is a silver statue, posed in a similar way to the Little Mermaid and depicting a boy.

Han the Merservant (as opposed to maid)

The weather had improved by the time we woke the following morning. We were on the move again, with our destination, the coastal town of Koge. However, we were not going there directly, first was a stop at the Viking Ship Museum at Roskilde.
Roskilde was an important Viking settlement between 700-1100 CE due to its fertile land and natural harbour. To defend itself from attack by other Viking tribes it blocked two of the navigable channels so its forces only needed to concentrate on one. Five old Viking ship were sunk to form the barrier. These ships were rediscovered in the late 20th century and carefully removed from the seabed. They are now displayed, along with artefacts from the period and information about life at that time, in a purpose built museum. It was this museum, together with other recreations on the site, that we visited.

A replica of a Viking ship at the Viking ship museum

Thousand year old viking ship

After a very tasty late lunch at the museum we continued our journey to our overnight stop in Koge.
The following day’s destination was the town of Soro, but not before a major detour to Mons Island. Mons Island if famed for its white cliffs and thick forest, known as Mons Klint. A road bridge gave us access to Mons Island, then it was a short drive to the cliffs. The area is UNESCO protected and wooded steps and boardwalk allow you access to the beach and cliff. We took the 500 steps to the beach then used the boardwalk to reach a view point. The white cliffs viewed from the beach were quite impressive (we have been spoilt by the Seven Sisters in the south of England) and the viewpoint looked out to the Baltic Sea. The forest was thick and ancient, however, we didn’t have time to explore it.

Mons Klint wooden steps to the beach (not sure what number step we are in at that point)

White Cliff on Mons Klint

We had a late lunch in the attractive town of Stege, the largest on the island. Then continued to our overnight stop in Soro, back on Zealand.

We weren’t dropping the car off at the airport until late afternoon so had plenty of time to explore Soro before leaving the next day.
Another attractive little town with period building and public sculptures. Very clean and orderly, as we had come to expect from Danish towns. We passed through the monastery grounds to access Soro So, the larger of Soro’s two lakes. Then walked to the northern tip of the lake before returning into town. A stroll around town was completed by a restaurant lunch stop, sitting outside with views of town life.

Soro Lake

Soro period buildings

We then left Soro and drove to the airport for our early evening flight to the Faroe Islands.

Personal Observations & Interesting Facts

1. Most old town areas in Denmark have cobblestones. These are maintained in good order and even have had lines of flat stones added to aid the use of prams, etc.
2. Bicycles are a common sight, they appear to outnumber cars in the centre of Copenhagen. Good cycle lanes can be found throughout the country.
3. Amusing translations from English to Danish: Timetable = Fart Plan & Your Speed = Din Fart.
4. As is often the case when we are abroad, we had an earthquake. During our stay in Helsingor we felt the house wobble momentarily. We later found out that there had been an earthquake south of Copenhagen measuring 4.2. Never knew Denmark had earthquakes of that magnitude.
5. Throughout our stay in Denmark and our subsequent time in the Faroe Islands, we never once used cash. All transactions were done by credit card. Both countries accept cash but prefer card, even for the smallest transaction.
6. If you don’t have a mobile phone in Denmark, paying for parking becomes very difficult. When ever we parked, we paid using the QR code, there were no facilities for cash or card. There was a number you could call, but this still required a phone.

Copenhagen Bicycles

FEBRUARY & MARCH 2025

It was hard to leave our idyllic villa in the mountains but there was more of Costa Rica to see. The next day we drove two and a half hours further down the Pacific coast to the Península de Osa and the town of Puerto Jimenez.
We were here for 5 nights, 4 in Puerto Jimenez and 1 in the Corcovado National Park. We rented a rustic two bedroom single story house with secure parking for the time in Puerto Jimenez. Then spent the first two days taking it easy exploring the local area. This meant driving to various locations and doing shorts walks to admire the scenery and watch the wildlife.

Jesus Lizard (common basilisk) nicknamed due to its ability to run on water for short distances

Pair of Scarlet Macaw engaging in preening (they mate for life)

Coconut and crab

Pacific Beach, Puerto Jimenez

River Crossing on the road out of Puerto Jimenez

Gravel road out of Puerto Jimenez

Scarlet Macaw

Puerto Jimenez, our accommodation street

Twenty five years ago, we were in the area and wanted to visit the Corcovado National Park. For various reasons, we weren’t able to achieve this. This time we were more organised and a two day one night trip was planned.

It was still dark when our 04:00am alarm went off. This gave us enough time to wake up, have breakfast and get ourselves to the boat jetty for the 05:30 boat into the park. It wasn’t a good start to the trip, as confusion rained over what boat we would take into the park. Our allocated boat wasn’t available so we were squeezed into another one going that way. Although an uncomfortable ride, it got us to the park entrance on time to meet our guide and other guests part of our group.
Tourist access to this part of the park is restricted to an area around the Sirena Ranger station and all explorations need to be with a guide. Every tourist arrive and depart from the same point, whether on a day trip or an overnight, and start with a wet landing on the beach. At this point you meet your guide and park rangers check your bags for any prohibited items, food, knives, plastic items, etc. It’s then a short walk to the ranger station. At this point you are amongst, probably, a couple of hundred other tourist but here and at the ranger station was the only time you felt the crowd. A Tapir mother and calf had been reported sleeping in the undergrowth near to the ranger station, so we stopped to see them en-route.

Waiting to leave Puerto Jimenez for Corcovado NP

landing at Corcovado National Park

Sleeping Tapir (Mother and calf)

The ranger station sits at the end of an unused airstrip and functions as an administration centre and tourist facility. The kitchen and dining area can cater for a couple of hundred tourist and the bunk bed open air dormitory about hundred overnighters. There is also a small shop and decking area to relax on.

Ranger Station

ranger station relaxing deck

We had just enough time to put our over night stuff in a locker and top up our water, before heading out on the first forest hike. It was around 08:00am by now and very hot and humid, even in the shade of the forest. Our guide introduced us to the flora and fauna of the forest as we made our way along fairly good trails. It was mostly dry under foot, except for a few small river crossings. Having been in Costa Rica for a month now, new wildlife sighting were limited, a few spiders and frogs were all that was new to us. However, it was a pleasant environment, even with the heat and humidity, and the other members of the group were getting more out of it.

One of many spiders encounters in the jungle

Spectacled Caiman

Bat hiding beneath the leaf

Tree defence system

Missed the runway

Coati

Jungle Path

Around midday we returned to the ranger station for lunch and a couple of hours rest. Then we embarked on a much more strenuous hike to the Claro river and back. Our party had reduced from seven and the guide to five of us now. Again, nothing new in the way of sightings, but we were entertained by the antics of monkeys in the canopy and Coati’s on the ground. However, we did also see a Three Toed Sloth with baby in a tree and this time it wasn’t partly obscured by foliage, the highlight of the afternoon. It was dark by the time we got back to the ranger station and everyone was exhausted.

Big tree with huge roots and hollow trunk

It was at this point we had our second issue with the tour organisation, following the chaotic transport arrangements. We had not been allocated our bunk beds for the night. After a lot of chasing we finally had somewhere to sleep. With lights out at 8pm, we now had little time to shower, have dinner and prepare for the night. We did manage everything in time, only to be told at the last minute I had been allocated the wrong bunk bed. However, it was too late to change now, so the other guy went to a different bunk.

Ranger Station dormitory, up to 100 bunk bed! All were occupied!!

A restless night followed, due to the heat (there was no fan or natural breeze) and a very thin mattress. It was almost a relief when 4am arrived and it was time to prepare for the early morning hike.
It was still dark when we entered the forest again but the sun had risen by the time we emerged on the beach, just where the Sirena River enters the Pacific Ocean. We were only four guests now, as Anne had chosen to rest her aching body back at the ranger station.
At this point the temperature was much more bearable, the breeze off the ocean helped to freshen the air and reduce the heat. Most tourist on the beach were searching for Bull Sharks (one very brief sighting) in the estuary but the variety of bird life on the shore was more of an interest to me. Meanwhile, back at the ranger station, Anne was being treated to an amazing sighting of a Tapir ambling past the veranda.

Tapir out for a stroll (it is very early morning, everyone has left the station to go for jungle walk, I could enjoyed the amazing sighting on my own)

Back at the ranger station we took breakfast, very tasty as have all the meals been. A short break followed then we headed out into the forest again. Anne probably chose the right option and stayed behind at the ranger station once more.
Several hours of hot and humid hiking followed with nothing much to see. Monkeys continued to entertain us up in the canopy, spiders laid trips with their webs for us to walk in to and small mammals teased us with their sound and elusiveness.
We did encounter an amazing tree, still standing meters high but hollowed out by termites. There was so much room inside, it could accommodate several adults and was home to hundreds of bats. A crawl through a large root system was required to access the inner chamber, which, along with most of our group, I chose not to do.
That was the last hike of the day and it was time to gather our possession from the ranger station and connect with our boat back to Puerto Jimenez.

Boarding the boats for departing Corvovado NP

On our way back from Corcovado NP

Back at the house in Puerto Jimenez it was time to crank up the air-conditioning, take a shower and reflect on the experience of the last two days. My description above doesn’t portray a glowing picture, but our conclusion lays some of the blame on us. If we set aside the organisational issues, I think we went with too high expectations. We had already been in the country for a month and seen so many amazing things that spotting something new was going to be very hard. We didn’t expect so many tourist either. However, seeing a Tapir was a highlight and a big positive for the tour.

The following day was another new adventure and with a leisurely start. However, we weren’t expecting the bed to start wobbling just before we got up. You guessed it, it was our annual earthquake experience (similar time of year to our Taiwan 2024 experience, but nowhere near a violent), it only lasted a few seconds but brought back memories.

Notice of earthquake

From Puerto Jimenez we followed the Pacific coast north. A lunch stop in Uvita, then we headed inland and up to the mountains. We finally reached our destination of the Talamanca Nature Reserve Lodge (see below) around mid-afternoon. We had lost about 10 degrees and the air was less humid, very pleasant and quite a relief. What immediately struck us on arrival was the quality of customer service, it was superb and made us feel very welcome. There wasn’t time to explore before dark so left that until the next day. Although we did indulge ourselves in a cocktail at the restaurant bar before bed.

Garden in front of our chalet

View from Talamanca Nature Reserve toward the village

We were awake early the next morning and on the recommendation of lodge staff, we made our way up to the gazebo area in search of birds. From our cabin it was a steep climb, up a well maintained path lined with trees and colourful flora. There were great views over the surrounding valley from the gazebo area but more importantly the bird life was plentiful. We were able to identify several new (to us) species of hummingbird and the trees were full of colourful birds we had not yet seen in Costa Rica. Time flew by, but as the day warmed up the bird life became less active. This was our sign to return to the cabin for a late breakfast.

Northern Emerald Toucanet

Striped-throated Hermit

We spent the next part of the day relaxing on our covered veranda, still watching birds, this time in the garden opposite us. There were now more people arriving for a day visit, almost all locals, which was nice to see. Around 15:30 we headed out once more to explore more of the reserves trails. Again the bird life was prolific, we didn’t know which way to look they were all around us. The sun was shining, it was a comfortable 24 degrees and we were in our element. The flora was also magnificent and so well maintained. This is a truly beautiful place.

Grey-headed Chachalaca

The second day followed a similar pattern. An early morning visit to the gazebo area which resulted in more new birds. Breakfast at the restaurant whilst watching hummingbirds visit the garden feeders. Relaxing on our veranda until early afternoon, then back to the restaurant for lunch. During and after lunch the restaurant was visited but a variety of birds we had yet to see, so we lingered there for a couple of hours.

Summer Tanager

Golden Hooded Tanager

It was about at this time we began to hear thunder and it seemed to be getting closer. The clouds over the valley were very low and dark, we guessed the rain was falling over there. At this point we made our way back to the cabin, just before the rain arrived. Unfortunately, this put pay to our afternoon bird watching, because by the time it had stopped it was too late to venture out. So we had a couple of cocktails in the bar instead. This also reminded us how efficient and friendly the lodge staff are, a credit to the profession.

Restaurant

Our last day in the Talamanca Nature Reserve started the same way as all the others, with an early morning birdwatching hike. By now it was getting hard to spot new birds but admiring the species we had already seen was enjoyment enough. If the birds weren’t as numerous as other mornings, the butterflies made up for it, equally as colourful and often greater in size.

Beautiful Moth

Fight of the Titans! The spider lost!

One of the butterflies of Talamanca nature reserve

A late and leisurely breakfast, then we were on the road again. Following route 2 north we traversed Costa Rica’s central mountains with spectacular views on either side of the road. Or that’s what we assumed, because most of the time we were in the clouds with visibility varying from 20 meters to as little as the end of the car bonnet. When the clouds disappeared the rain started and the temperature dropped as low as 12 degrees C. By mid afternoon we had reached our destination of Orosi. Nestled in a river valley with mountains on all side it should have been a picturesque location, unfortunately today the low cloud and rain didn’t do it justice. We had an early dinner in town before retreating to our hotel room to escape the rain that was now falling much more heavily.

On our way to Orosi, missing the beautiful sceneries

Low cloud and drizzle persisted for our last day in Costa Rica. A leisurely breakfast was followed by a visit to the church in Orosi, the oldest in Costa Rica we are told. We stopped at a view point over the Orosi Valley on our way back to San Jose and that was our last tourist activity.

Orosi Old Church

Orosi under the rain

Orosi Valley

Although only a 55km drive from Orosi to the car rental office, it took us almost 2 hours because of the traffic. This wasn’t an issue as we had left plenty of time and were in the airport well in advance for our flight departure.
This gave us time to reflect on the trip. Costa Rica is a beautiful country, so green and lush. The wildlife had been spectacular, especially the birds. On the down side the humidity was oppressive and Anne’s hip injury had restricted what she could do (see below). But a trip we will have found memories of.

Personal Observations & Interesting Facts

Talamanca Nature Reserve
Talamanca is a non-profit Nature Reserve dedicated to protecting and enhancing the local flora, fauna and avifauna, while also providing employment to the local community. Talamanca covers over 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) of primary and secondary cloud forest and borders the Chirripo National Park.
Until the 1930’s the area was sparsely populated and the surrounding forests were largely untouched. Between then and the late 1980’s the area was cultivated and a large amount of deforestation took place. In 1988 the land was sold to an overseas buyer. He recognised the beauty and potential for restoration. Over the next 30 plus years the area was reforested with native species and facilities built to attract tourist. Now the wildlife is back, especially the birds which number more than 200 different species. The flora is also incredible diverse and colourful. The foreign owner has now handed over the reigns to a local family and the place is thriving. One of Costa Rica’s secret gems.

Talamanca Nature Reserve

Talamanca nature Reserve

View over the valley from the Talamanca nature Reserve

Anne’s Hip Injury
Part way through our first day in Costa Rica, Anne developed a sharp pain in her hip. It appeared without warning and didn’t improve during the whole trip. Self diagnosis suggested it was sciatica and a local pharmacist provided us with strong pain killers. When not walking the pain was manageable but painkillers were needed for any hike undertaken, even then the distance was limited. This sadly meant she couldn’t enjoy the trip to its fullest extent. As the trip progressed we learnt what was achievable and planned our activities accordingly.
Medical advice once we got back home ruled out sciatica and suggested it was more likely an inflammation. Writing this blog two month on, we are still not sure what it is, but thankfully it is now showing signs of improvement.

FEBRUARY & MARCH 2025

Now on the move again, we head further north west to the town of Bijagua. Our route is more rural and the roads are less well maintained. But the scenery makes up for it, especially as we gain altitude.
A three bedroom house on a small private reserve was home for the next three nights with plenty to see in the area.
It was pleasantly cooler than the previous few days as we drove out of Bijagua towards the Parque National Volcan Tenorio, the higher altitude of the cloud forest making the difference.
From the car park a well maintained path ascends through primary forest. Our first stop was at a waterfall, but not before we spent time watching a young Northern Tamandua feeding in the lower canopy. What makes this waterfall unique is the turquoise lagoon at its base, caused by a mix of minerals in the water influenced by their volcanic origins. Further up the trail was a volcano viewpoint, but clouds obscured most of it by the time we arrived. Finally the trail descended to another turquoise lagoon before we retraced our steps back. Further sightings of the young Tamandua and a snake on a log caught our interest on the way back. We later discovered that the snake was an Eyelash Pit Viper (Silver/Green Morph), one of Costa Rica’s venomous land snakes.

Waterfall in Volcano Tenoro NP

The rare northern Tamandua, a tree anteater

The Eyelash Viper, one of very venomous snake

Northern Tamandua

The day was completed by a guided night walk around the local area. Our guide, Johnathan, was particularly knowledgable about the flora and we were fortunate enough to see some local fauna as well. The sighting of a rare Northern Olingo was a highlight, together with a Two Toed Sloth and an Opossum, all spotted by us and not the guide.

Night walk in bijagua with a small snake on the trail

Northern Olingo, Bijagua

The following day started with us following our local guide Johnathan, on his motorcycle, out of town. After a short drive we turned off the main road and followed a track up into the hills. The track was heavily rutted and a bit overgrown but dry, so 4WD was not required. We parked at the top of the track and were immediately greeted with a magnificent view. From this elevation we could see for miles. Volcanos to the west, across into Nicaragua and Lake Nicaragua to the north with forest in all other directions.
We were in a private reserve set aside for nature. For the next 3 hours we followed Johnathan along various trails as they zigzagged through the forest and open pasture. Although was didn’t see an abundance of wildlife the area was beautiful. Johnathan did his best to spot thing for us and in doing so we learned a bit more about the smaller creatures that occupy the cloud forest. Johnathan believed there would be a fair chance to spot a Tapir, but in the end all we found was fresh tracks and a pile of poo. All in all a very pleasant morning.

Three toed Sloth, they really blend well into the foliage

One of many frog species on our day walk

Our guide for the day looking for a way through the jungle

Day walk in private reserve in Bijagua

View over Nicaragua and Lake Nicaragua

Hoffmann's Woodpecker, Bijagua

Day walk from Bijagua

The afternoon and evening were spent enjoying the environment and the house. Birds were plentiful and a troop of Howler Monkeys paid us a visit. The Howlers appeared from the southern forest and then traversed the trees immediately outside the house, only a few meters in front of us. They then paused to eat and finally fell asleep, wrapping their tails around a branch for stability, in a tree next to the house.

Lesson's Motmot

Great Kisdadee

Howler Monkey getting ready to take a nap

Using the rope bridge to bridge the gap between trees over our accommodation

Time for the afternoon siesta. The whole troup of Howler Monkeys were chilling out just outside our accommodation

Crested Guan

The road to our next location, Santa Elena, first took us south west through a hot and arid landscape before turning east into the mountains. The mountain road was steep, mostly paved but with massive potholes, and very windy. The views were stunning though.
Our accommodation in Santa Elena was amazing. A modern villa with great views over the surrounding countryside, yet only a few hundred meters off the main road up a steep gravel track.
The villa had a great living space both inside and out. There were two bedrooms, one on each side of an external corridor. We had one bedroom and Rob had the other one to himself, or so he thought.
It was the first evening and we were about to retire, when Rob came bursting back into the kitchen and requested the services of the eviction team. Anne and I followed him back to his room and were greeted by a large black scorpion residing above the curtain rail. Realising he would not be able sleep with this unwanted guest in the room, I performed the eviction and we all went to bed.

On the road to Santa Elena with our trusty Bronco

Unexpected Guest for Rob

Pot hole road

Our first day in Santa Elena comprised of a visit to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and chilling out at the villa. Access to the reserve was up a steep rutted gravel track then on foot from the carpark. Trails weaved their way through a dense forest of moss cover trees. At times it was eerily quiet, almost no bird sound and virtually no other tourists. Spotting wildlife was particularly challenging due to the foliage but we did see a couple of new birds and briefly had the company of some Coati’s. A viewing tower provided extensive views across a large section of the country as well as the forest canopy.

Taking a break from the forest we spent the next day looking around the two small towns near by, Santa Elena and Monteverde. We visited a few local craft and souvenir shops to see if there was anything worth bringing back home.
Our only wildlife encounter for the morning was with some frogs. Santa Elena has a small complex where they house a selection of Costa Rican frogs, called the Frog Pond. Not the sort of place we would normally visit but it had good reviews so we gave it a chance. Once you get over the fact that the frog are kept in relatively small glass units, the complex was well run and the frogs cared for. It was quite good fun searching for the frogs within the foliage and fascinating to see the variety of sizes and colours the various species had to offer.
After having lunch out we returned to the villa and enjoyed an afternoon of relaxing and bird watching.

Front Pond in Santa Elena/Monteverde

one of the many frogs that blend with their environment

Town of Santa Elena

The next day it was back into the forest, this time the Cure Cancha Reserve. The reserve is beautiful even if spotting birds is a challenge. We did however see a couple of new birds and some White Faced Monkeys.

Hiking in the Cure Concha Reserve

White Faced Monkey

Northern Emerald Toucanet

Yellow Thrated Toucan

On the move again, this time out of the mountains and in the direction of San Jose. The road out was much better than the one in, paved all the way. It was a slow descent, partly because of how windy the road was but also because of the slow traffic. This wasn’t an issue, we weren’t in any hurry and it gave us a chance to appreciate the scenery.
Once out of the mountains we followed the main road towards San Jose before branching off to the small town of Atenas. We stopped for lunch in the hills near Atenas, before arriving at our accommodation.
You feel you are still in the countryside when in Atenas, yet you are only 30 minutes from San Jose International Airport. Rob was leaving us the following day, hence the location choice.

View over the mountains on our way to Atenas

Valley view before arriving in Atenas

The day after Rob’s departure we drove west to the Pacific coast. Route 34 hugs the coast and we followed it south bound. This was a particularly pleasant drive, as the road was in good condition, very few trucks and with regular views of the Pacific Ocean. Our accommodation in Uvita was up in the mountains and access was via a steep unpaved road, fortunately our Ford Bronco Sport was up to the challenge.
When we arrived in Cahuita at the start of the trip, the accommodation blew us away. A secluded modern villa with a pool, surrounded by wildlife. We feared we had peaked too early.
We shouldn’t have worried. The mid trip accommodation at Santa Elena just about surpassed Cahuita. A modern villa set on a private estate up in the mountains with great views and lots of birdlife. It couldn’t get any better, or so we thought.
The accommodation we now had in Uvita was even better. Again set on a private estate, totally secluded, views across a forested valley to mountains beyond, a variety of birdlife to keep us entertained, private pool and a beautifully appointed living area, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. It was almost impossible to drag ourselves away to explore the surrounding area.

Our accommodation in Uvita

Yellow Throated Toucan, a daily visitor at our accommodation in Uvita

Fiery Billed Aracari

As expected we spent our first day chilling out in and around the villa pool, enjoying the environment and seclusion. Our only visitors were the birds, a few lizards and a Coati trying to get into our compost bin.
The next day was one of exploration. We took the short drive along the coast to the small town of Dominical. We looked around its craft markets, ventured on to the beach and observed the people and their activities. Lunch was taken at a coastal restaurant between Uvita and Dominical, where we consumed tasty seafood whilst gazing out at the Pacific Ocean. Sunset from a viewpoint on our estate completed our day.
With all the exertions of the previous day we spent our final full day on the estate. Early morning was spent at the estate gym, not for a work out but for the view. From here you get a good view of the famous Whale tail. Part the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena its a sand bar and only exposed at low tide. When exposed it looks like a Whale’s tail and it’s best viewed from above. We lounged in the chairs outside the gym, viewing the ocean in front of us and the forest clad mountains all around us. A breeze kept us cool and only the pool back at the villa forced us to move. The rest of the day was spent around our villa and pool, with only the bird for company, bliss.

Margarita cocktail at Dominical Restaurant

View from the restaurant near Dominical

Dominical

Market at Dominical

Dominical Beach

The Whale tail in Uvita

Sunset over Uvita from our accommodation

It was hard to leave our idyllic villa in the mountains but there was more of Costa Rica to discover. The next day we drove two and a half hours further down the Pacific coast to the Península de Osa and the town of Puerto Jimenez (See Costa Rica 2025 Part 3).

Personal Observations & Interesting Facts

On the Road in Costa Rica
We made several observations during our time driving in Costa Rica, here are a few of them:
1. There appeared to be an above average number vehicle that had crashed off the road than you would expect. We passed numerous cars and trucks, severely damaged, down ditches, perched on bank and even wedged between trees. To be fare these situations seemed to diminish as the trip progressed.
2. On major roads, it is common to encounter lane closures with little or no warning. Concrete blocks are placed in the lane to protect vehicles crossing the carriageway. These became an extra consideration when overtaking on a dual carriageway.
3. Speed humps provide a vital roll to slow traffic in built up areas. However, it appears they only get painted when they are installed and constant traffic and the weather soon erase the markings. So with very few warning signs you can easily get caught out by them.
4. Directional road signs do exist outside urban areas but are infrequent. However, when you enter the towns and cities of Costa Rica there are none at all. This means finding your way in, out and through requires the assistance of modern technology, Goggle Map or equivalent.

Cost of Food & Drink
The cost of food and drink caught us out a little in Costa Rica. A supermarket shop cost as much or more than it would in the UK. Some items in particular being pricey; potatoes and cereal for example. Dinning out was again similar to UK prices. Probably the most expensive Central or South American country we have visited.

Costa Rica National Bird
The national bird of Costa Rica is the Clay Coloured Thrush, which was a surprise when they have so many more colourful options. It holds a special place in the heart of Costa Ricans. As its melodious song is believed to summon rains during the arid season, which has subsequently been woven it into the fabric of local folklore and daily life.

Clay Coloured Thrush, Costa Rica national bird