Risin and Kellingin
Risin and Kellingin, meaning the Giant and the Witch, are two basalt sea stacks rising from the Atlantic off the northern coast of Eysturoy island in the Faroe Islands. Risin, the Giant, stands 71 metres tall, and Kellingin, the Witch, stands 68 metres, her narrower base having created two distinct legs through centuries of wave erosion. According to Faroese legend, the two were sent from Iceland to steal the Faroe Islands, tying ropes around the mountain Eiðiskollur to drag them north. They worked through the night but failed to move the mountain, and when dawn broke they were turned to stone where they stood in the sea. Geologists warn that Kellingin's eroded base makes her vulnerable to collapse in severe storms, potentially within the coming decades. The stacks are best viewed from Tjørnuvík beach on Streymoy and from the observation point near Eiði on Eysturoy.
Two Basalt Giants Frozen Mid-Mission Off the Coast of Eysturoy, and One of Them May Not Stand Much Longer
Risin and Kellingin stand close to the base of Eiðiskollur, the 343-metre sea cliff on the northern coast of Eysturoy. They formed as volcanic dykes intruded into the surrounding basalt, and over centuries the softer rock around them eroded away while the harder cores remained standing. Risin stands 71 metres tall and is set slightly further from the coast. Kellingin stands 68 metres and is closer to shore, her narrow waist having been carved by wave action into two distinct legs. The sea has worn a hole entirely through Kellingin's base, giving her the silhouette of a figure standing with feet apart. This narrowing is the basis for concern among Faroese geologists, who predict that a severe winter storm could bring her down within the next few decades, making the current view of both stacks together time-limited.
The folklore of Risin and Kellingin is one of the most complete and geographically specific origin legends in the Faroe Islands. The full story describes giants in Iceland growing envious of the beautiful Faroe Islands and sending the pair south to collect them. The giant remained in the sea while the witch climbed the cliffs of Eiðiskollur using ropes, intending to tie the islands together and haul them north. She pulled the ropes through the night but the mountain resisted and split rather than moving. As she was still trying when the sun rose, both she and the giant were caught by daylight and turned to stone. The parallel with the Hvítserkur legend in North Iceland, where a troll was petrified while attacking a monastery, shows how widely the troll-at-sunrise motif was used across the Norse North Atlantic to explain prominent rock formations.
The stacks can be viewed from two main locations without hiking. The black sand beach at Tjørnuvík, a small village on the northern coast of Streymoy, gives a view across the water with both stacks visible against the Eysturoy coastline — this is the most photographed angle. The observation point between Eiði village and the Eiðisskarð mountain pass on Eysturoy gives a different perspective from above and to the side. A third option is the hike up Eiðiskollur from Eiði, which takes around 90 minutes each way and gives views looking down on the stacks from above. The Eiði village page on this site covers the nearby football pitch and other local features. Both viewing points are free and accessible year-round by car.
