Árnafjørður Church, Boat Houses and Fjord
Árnafjørður is a village of about 64 people at the head of a fjord on the east side of Borðoy, and there are four things to see. Allow about an hour, then continue to Klaksvík, 10 minutes away by car, for food and the larger sights. The population has fallen from 98 in 1966 to 64 in 2025, and the village lies in the municipality of Klaksvík.
The church
A white church with a red roof stands beside the Stórá river at the foot of the hike to Katlarnir. It is an active village church, so keep voices low and stay outside during services. The official hike page asks visitors not to park by the churches on Sundays between 11:00 and 12:00. The setting is the draw: river, fjord and steep hillside together.
The boat houses and the shore
A row of boat houses lines the shore at the fjord head, and a small beach lies next to them. The inlet is called Árnfjarðarvík. Parking is by the church and by the tunnels. There is no shop, cafe or public toilet in the village, so bring what you need from Klaksvík.
The fjord viewpoint
Between the Árnafjarðartunnilin and the Hvannasundstunnilin, which are about 500 m apart on route 70, there is a roadside pull-off with the best view over the fjord. The Árnafjarðartunnilin is about 1.96 km long and opened in 2024, and the Hvannasundstunnilin is about 2.25 km long.
A story from 1875
According to Wikipedia, an abandoned Norwegian ship with a cargo of timber drifted ashore here in 1875. The timber was auctioned, and the sale crashed local timber prices. There is no wreck to visit, so it is a story to enjoy while looking at the water.
On the hillside
On the hike you pass a boulder called Grindasteinur, linked to pilot whale hunts, and can reach the old Thing site at Katlarnir with its Thing stones. Both need a hike. The route from Klaksvík is 5 km one way, takes about 1 hour 45 minutes and is rated difficult. The loop from the village to Katlarnir is 7 km and climbs 653 m. Take a GPX track, avoid fog and stay on the cairned line.
Nearby sights
The Guide to Faroe Islands page for the village lists Selatrað church, the Líraberg cliff and the Reipsáfossur waterfall as sights nearby. In Klaksvík there are the Christianskirkjan, built in 1963 in an Old Norse style, and the Norðoya Fornminnissavn museum.
Tips
- Fog and wind arrive fast in the Faroes. Dial 112 in an emergency.
- Cliff edges are unfenced, and sheep wander onto the roads, so drive slowly.
- Take photographs from the pull-off rather than stopping on the road.
Read more: Walking tours around Árnafjørður and Attraction tours .
Facilities and sights: Guide to Faroe Islands page on Árnafjørður . For tours, compare GetYourGuide results for Klaksvík sightseeing .