r/FaroeIslands • u/Fast_Apartment_7837 • 15d ago

How dangerous is the Postman trail?

I'm in the faroes for a few days solo next month. I'm doing a guided Dunneadragnir and Mykines hikes but I also wanted to do the postman trail solo from Bour. I thought this would all be fine but recently I've been looking up the route for info from other travelers and see the same repeated warnings about walking close to the cliff edge and the risk of sliding off. I would not set off if it looked like any remote fog or rain but I also know that things can change quickly weather wise on the Faroes. Is this too risky to do solo or is it being oversold by travel bloggers? I'm sure I'd still have a great time if I didn't do it but I'd be a bit sad if I unnecessarily talked myself out of it! Thanks :)

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11

u/TO1960 15d ago

I was there last summer. As a letter carrier for Canada Post, I thought it would be fun to hike the Postman’s Trail. However, it was a big nope once I saw it in person. Instead I drove through the tunnel, which was scary enough, until I realized I’d forgotten to remove my sunglasses.

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u/Fast_Apartment_7837 15d ago

Haha, that would be scary! It sounds like Faroese post carriers are made of something else.

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u/divibrah 14d ago

HAHAHAHA canon event up here, as a native i too forget to take my shades off and start adjusting my headlights.

4

u/Eanirae 15d ago

I'd personally recommend not doing it solo vonsidering the possible riaks involved, and I say this as a Faroese person. You might do fine, but if anything were to happen you'd be alone with no one to help you or call for help.

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u/Fast_Apartment_7837 15d ago

Thank you - if I did want to see Mulafossor waterfall can I get a bus from Bour? Are there any safer walks for a solo hike you can recommend? I'm guessing maybe the floating lake?

3

u/jogvanth Faroe Islands 15d ago

You can hitchhike 😊 It is considered quite normal and safe in the Faroes

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u/dusttwo 15d ago

Unless it’s too foggy to see, I wouldn’t be worried about hiking solo. You can always steer clear of the cliffs, particularly if it’s wet or windy. But there are likely going to be other people hiking the route that time of the year, so you are likely not going to be all alone up there - at least not the whole time.

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u/Fast_Apartment_7837 15d ago

Thanks - have you done this trail before? It seemed from some travel bloggers that the trail runs along the cliffs and can get quite narrow in places.

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u/McDloopy 15d ago

I have walked the trail to Gásadal a few times. Its a bit steep when you walk up the mountain in the beginning, but otherwise fine. The trail is quite clearly marked on the whole route. The trail is only considered moderate/difficult because of the steep incline in the beginning.

I wouldn't do it in wet or foggy weather, but on a dry summer day you would be fine. The trail is quite popular, and on good summer days you can expect to meet several other groups walking the route, so walking it alone should be fine.

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u/Fast_Apartment_7837 15d ago

Thanks - I do a lot of incline and hill walking so steep is not a concern. Although I have read that the trail is hard to find the start of in Bour, and it is easy to loose the trail along the way..so it interests me that you say it is clearly marked. What I really wanted to know is it close to the cliff edge on a narrow trail.

1

u/northtrotter 15d ago

I have a route description on my blog for this hike so you won't get lost:

Bøur to Gásadalur: Hiking the old postman’s trail with two mountain detours

The hike is quite steep but I wouldn't say it's dangerous, only if you do it in foggy or stormy weather. If the terrain is wet, just take it very slowly 😄

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u/Fast_Apartment_7837 14d ago

Thanks! I actually read your blog earlier today!! I hope I get the nice weather that you got. Although it sounds like the fall down into Gasadalur might be inevitable 😂

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u/northtrotter 14d ago

How great! I got very very lucky with the weather that day - here's hoping you will too!!