King's Road Hike
The Kings Road is a historic hiking trail from the outskirts of Tórshavn to the village of Kirkjubøur on the southwestern coast of Streymoy, following the ancient cairn-marked path that kings, bishops, and villagers once used to travel between the islands' two most important settlements. The hike is 7 kilometres one way and takes around 2 to 2.5 hours at a comfortable pace. Kirkjubøur, the destination, was the religious and political capital of the Faroe Islands throughout the medieval period and contains the most significant historical sites in the archipelago.
A 7km Walk from the Faroese Capital to the Medieval Village That Preceded It
Kirkjubøur served as the ecclesiastical and cultural capital of the Faroe Islands from the 11th century onwards, home to the bishops who governed the islands and the site of the only cathedral ever built in the Faroes. The path connecting it to Tórshavn, marked with cairns across the open hillside, was the main route between these two centres of power for centuries. The trail climbs gently from the western edge of Tórshavn, passes through grassy moorland with views back over the capital and Nólsoy island, and then crosses the ridge to open up panoramic views of Sandoy, Hestur, Koltur, and Vágar to the south and west. Along the way it passes Reynsmúlalág, a stone rostrum used for open-air public gatherings and political meetings from the 19th century into the 1960s, where crowds gathered on the hillside to hear speeches in the Faroese national independence movement.
Kirkjubøur itself contains three outstanding historical sites within a short walk of each other. The ruins of St. Magnus Cathedral, begun around 1300 by Bishop Erlendur and never completed or roofed, are the largest medieval structure in the Faroe Islands and part of the Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage nomination. St. Ólav's Church, built in the 13th century, is the oldest church in the Faroe Islands still in active use. The Kirkjubøargarður farmhouse, dating from around 1350, is thought to be among the oldest inhabited wooden buildings in the world and has been occupied continuously by the same family for over 17 generations.
The trail starts at the western outskirts of Tórshavn, near Gamli Velbastaðvegur, and is marked throughout with cairns and posts. The terrain is mostly grassy with some rocky sections and moderate elevation gain of around 60 to 70 metres to the ridge. Sturdy waterproof footwear is recommended as the grass can be wet at any time of year. There are no facilities on the trail and nothing to buy in Kirkjubøur, so bring water and snacks. The free Tórshavn city bus Route 5 runs between the capital and Kirkjubøur and makes an easy one-way return. The hike can be walked in either direction, though the descent into Kirkjubøur is gentler going south to north.
