Client Testimonials
While it’s been a few weeks since I returned from the Faroe Islands and my most recent photo tour with Purple Peak Adventures, I’m still processing my images. My photo ‘hit rate’ has greatly improved this time out, which has much to do with the number and variety of excellent locations chosen by Martin and Sharron for their March 2019 tour and their expert guidance.
Martin and Sharron clearly know the Faroes well and wasted no time in getting the tour group out to capture the better known locations including the Trøllkonufingur (the Troll Woman’s Finger), as viewed from the cliffs above Sandavágur, and the Trælanípa (Slave) Cliffs, on the western island of Vágar. Their intimate knowledge also brought us to some lesser known sites such as the tiny ‘Hobbit House’ (their name), sat above the similarly tiny village of Mikladalur on Kalsoy. The Hobbit House is a real gem and a location which I would most likely have overlooked if traveling alone. Nearby Mikladalur is home to the rather more famous Kópakonan (or seal woman) statue, erected on the shore line below the village in 2014.
Tourists are fortunately few in number to the Faroes in March and this in combination with the stark bracken-brown of the scrub vegetation and the still snow-topped mountains makes for a series of genuinely breath-taking landscapes. The tour’s varied attractions included the stunning coastal view from the rock-strewn Tjørnuvík beach, on Streymoy, to the precipitous ridge and location of the Kallun Lighthouse, on Kalsoy.
Between our packed days out the group retired to their rented cottage at Leynar on Streymoy. Very handily located for the airport and local sites, this historic property proved to be the ideal base for our tour, having all the facilities and Faroese character one could wish for on a multi-day trip. Here much of the cooking was skilfully handled by Sharron who conjured up a succession of tasty and warming dishes which were very welcome at the end of a busy day!
Every day brought something new with the Tuesday focusing on a hill hike out to the Stóri Drangur sea arch at Vágar. A skilled local guide ensured we took the quickest and safest route to the precipitous cliffs overlooking the arch, which was well worth the effort. Myriad sea birds thronged the cliffs and also the rock stack containing the arch, with the latter appearing like a mysterious portal to another realm. The Faroes truly are a place apart and conjured up visions for this photographer of Jules Verne characters exploring a lost continent at the end of the world!
The total number of photo locations visited is too numerous to include here but every day was used to the full to ensure everyone got the most from the experience. Martin and Sharron are very easy going but were always on hand to help with suggestions of how to make the most of a scene or to assist with any technical or locational queries.
The final night of the trip took in the Faroese capital of Tórshavn where we enjoyed a meal out while sharing highlights from the tour. All in all a thoroughly recommended experience and first introduction to the Faroes, and I thank Martin and Sharron for delivering another excellent and informative tour.
Ainsley Cocks, Par, Cornwall
Your deep knowledge of the islands locations, well known and not so well known, made for a memorable trip with photos and experiences I was very happy with. The informal tuition worked well and the accommodation setup was great when the weather enforced downtime! I am happy to recommend your trips, the time you've put into research and organisation is obvious.
Rory Wallace, Dublin, Ireland
