The largest lake in the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic is famous for its unique optical illusion. (Image: Getty)
Situated on the island of Vagar, one of 18 making up the lies the archipelago’s largest lake – which appears to float above the .
Sørvágsvatn , also known as Leitisvatn, perches on top of sea cliffs some 30 to 40 metres above sea level on the western coast of the island, near its airport.
Dubbed “the lake above the ocean”, it is surrounded by a higher cliff which prevents it from emptying fully into the ocean, with the spectacular Bøsdalafossur waterfall being its outlet.
Covering a area of 1.2 square miles (3.6 sq km), Sørvágsvatn is easily one of the best natural sights on the Faroe Islands, providing an unfortabale experience for any traveller exploring the region.
Depending on the route you choose, it will take about two-and-a-half hours for the 4.5-mile roundtrip, starting from the nearest village Miðvágur, to the end of the lake and the high waterfall Bøsdalafossur. The route is marked by white boulders that lead you to the vantage point.
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From the vantage point you can see the lake in front of you as well as the wild North Atlantic. (Image: Getty)
Miðvágur is around 40 minutes driving from the capital, Tórshavn, or a seven minute drive from Vágar .
Once you stand at the vantage point at Trælanípa Cliff, the views you are rewarded with are nothing short of spectacular. You will have the lake in front of you and just beneath the lake lies the wild North Atlantic Ocean.
From here, you can also see the impressive sea stack, Geituskoradrangur, the bird cliffs of Sørvágsbjørg, the smaller islands of Mykines and Mykineshólmur to the west and Sandoy, Skúvoy and Suðuroy to the south you see.
The best time to visit Sørvágsvatn is during the summer months. In this period the weather is milder and the days are longer, providing ample time to explore the trails and bask in the breathtaking scenery.
While walking, you can also enjoy beautiful views and encounter a large population of oystercatchers and curlews.
According to Vagar Airport, as quoted by state broadcaster KvF, roughly 431,100 travelers passed through the terminal of the island nations’ sole airport in 2023 – a new record.
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You can fly directly to the Faroe Islands from several UK airports, including from Gatwick via Atlantic Airways. (Image: Getty)
The Faroe Islands are an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, which lies almost directly between , Norway and the UK.
The islands have a total area of about 540 square miles, with a population of 54,676 as of August 2023. The terrain is rugged, and has windy, wet, cloudy and cool climate. Despite this, its temperatures are moderated by the Gulf Stream and hover around 12C in the summer and 5C in the winter.
The capital and largest city, Tórshavn, receives the fewest recorded hours of sunshine of any city in the world at just 840 per year.
You can fly directly to the Faroe Islands from several UK airports, including from to Vagar via on Tuesdays and Saturdays from May 31 until August 30.
“Wow! This 4.5 mile hike was just amazing. Stunningly beautiful views. The hike starts off pretty easy. A wide path with just a few rocks and small streams,” wrote one visitor on Tripadvisor. “Then there is a climb to the top with 360 degree views. But, keep going and you can view the waterfall and equally beautiful views.
“It was extremely windy up there. I mean EXTREMELY. We went on a sunny day and it was warm but the wind can knock you around at times. But SO worth every bit of it!”