Lake Sørvágsvatn in Faroe Islands

Apr 6, 2012 39 comments

Sørvágsvatn (or Leitisvatn) is the biggest lake of the Faroe Islands, situated on the island of Vágar. It covers an area of 3.4 square km, more than three times the size of the second biggest lake Fjallavatn, which also lies on the island of Vágar.

The picture you see below is actually an optical illusion. It appears as if the lake is significantly higher than the ocean. In real, the lake is only 30 meter above the sea level, but the cliff facing the camera is 100 meters high. The position of the camera and the angle of the shot makes it seem like the lake is about the same level as the cliff.

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Here is an aerial shot of Lake Sørvágsvatn that gives a better picture.

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The lake itself is nothing spectacular, other than being the biggest one on Faroe Islands. It’s over 6 km long. The headlands on either side of the Lake drop precipitously from heights of 252 and 376 m. into the North Atlantic. From this perspective, we also have a head-on view of the Bøsdalafossur waterfall, which is the Lake's outlet into the ocean. Distant north and east of the Lake provide vistas of rugged parts of the island of Streymoy.

Among the locals there is a fierce debate regarding the name of the lake. The inhabitants of Sørvágur take pride in the fact that the lake is named after their village. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Miðvágur want to name the lake Leitisvatn, since, on their side of the lake, the land alongside the body of water is called Leiti.

Today it may seem strange to call the lake Sørvágsvatn given the fact, that the village of Miðvágur is situated closer to the lake, than the village of Sørvágur. The explanation to this is that the village of Sørvágur was settled before Miðvágur.

The locals mostly refer to Sørvágsvatn/Leitisvatn simply by calling it 'the Lake' (Vatni). Among the inhabitants on the island everyone knows what 'the Lake' is, and it is mostly when people from other parts of the Faroes refer to the lake - either by calling it Sørvágsvatn or Leitisvatn—that the debate will occur.

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Comments

  1. Such a beautiful place. How to get there and is there any accommodation for tourists?

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    1. Take a ferry from Hirtshals, Denmark, to the capital, Tórshavn, or fly Atlantic Airways from Copenhagen, Denmark to the only airport on Vágar Island.. There are many accommodations for tourist on any budget scale. Faroese and Danish are the official languages, but English is widely spoken.

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  2. This article makes it sound as if this is nothing truly stunning and beautiful...I'm sorry but regardless of the angles and what not somewhere there is a spot on this island that I can stand and see it just like these pictures...in all it's glory...Gods beautiful & stunning art work. Just look at it.

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  3. God doesn't exist

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    1. If God doesn't exist, then who created everything?

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    2. I created it idiot. So now you know............ Just because you dont know who created it does not meat you attribute it to a figment of your imagination called GOD!

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    3. Why do you sing yourself as anonymous, do you not exist ?

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    4. Whether you call it God, Allah, Mother Nature or some other Higher Power something created this world like no-other planet in the known Universe. Some will try and convince you that it was all created from some BIG bang but that is about as stupid and explanation as anything on record, because you will never get such order as we have here on Earth from chaos. As an example, If you don't believe it, take a simple deck of cards and throw them up in the air as much as you want for as long as you want and they will never fall into any kind of order that can be used to play even a child's game, unless you think 52 pick-up is an actual game. If so that tells me you are pretty slow and just can't comprehend what life is really about. LOL!!!

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    5. Oh lord... your idea of "order" may be chaos to other forms of life. Don't be so arrogant to think we aren't just the result of billions of years of atoms colliding with each other.

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    6. God does exist and I guess one day you will find out and even though you don't believe he still loves you

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    7. Not so sure...those that believe in him will meet him right? What god loves but will not exept u. Oh right..the ppl that believe in him.

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    8. If you believe that there is no higher power than you are almost as big of an idiot as the guy that believes in god. whats normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.Anonymous, Half of Your statements dont even make since wich leads me to believe your a child, a highschool student at best. Spouting off quotes that you've heard from your hipster brother & sisters. am I correct ? anyone that starts this kind of debate needs to be strung up by there feet. There is no right or wrong answers. It's not a smart idea to question someone elses faith when you have no idea what faith is.

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    9. Gonna fight about whether there is or there isn't a God? Who cares?!! Believe what you want to believe or not believe .. you can't change anyone's mind about that .. so don't try to. Sheeeeesh!! Enjoy the freaking beauty of the pictures here! smh

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    10. Really?
      A religious debate had to start over a picture of a lake?

      How about:
      a) Accept that there are many differences in beliefs between both groups and individuals considering we come from all different parts of the world; and
      b) Move on.

      I honestly don't understand how people seem to be unable to accept the fact that what they believe may not be in accordance with the beliefs of others.
      Just as people choose to dye their hair different colours, people also choose to have different beliefs and it is nobody's place to tell them otherwise.

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    11. Nature exists. Nature is created from chaos. I believe in chaos.

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    12. which of the 1,700 currently recognized gods? If you only believe in 1, than you have nearly the same atheistic beliefs as me.

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  4. OMG! Hate it when every comment on every little thing has to be about whether you believe OR not. It's a friggin picture of a beautiful place!!!!

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    1. I understand how you feel. I'm a believer myself and may have made a remark about how beautiful God's creation is as well. Inevitably some hater has to come along and try to start a fight instead of simply enjoying that others are also enjoying this incredibly beautiful place in their own way. So sad.

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    2. It happened exactly that way except it happened with trillions of decks of card and I assure you they will land in an order. The human mind has to go way deeper to fathom this. Some ppl just know what they were told growing up and think no more of it. Now comprehend that.

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  5. Shut the F $#@ up and look at the beautiful creation.

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    1. You mean act of nature right?

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    2. nature is a system, creation of Almighty God.

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  6. Wow how yall take a pic of a awsome place and make it one of the biggest arguments on the planet i don't believe in god but I'm not going to down peoples faith religion is a dangerous thing but people having faith in something for a happier state of being is ok if its not shoved down ppls throats if I want to believe a platypus made the earth who are you to tell me know if I don't force you to see my views it just makes me happy then fuck off geez ! I personally would rather learn the just turn the other cheek and say god did it but religion is slowly but surely fading away and I thank god for that kmsl

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  7. all in all this does look amazing so how ever or who ever created this I would like to say THANK YOU and to the person or persons that took the pics thanks for sharing

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  8. Amazing how some jack wagon has to get on and stir up crap just because he or she don't believe in GOD or that there is a GOD, they have a right to believe or not to believe , It's a beautiful place, people appreciate the picture an give credit where they want to give credit, so let it go at that.

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  9. No scientist ever says that this world was created "randomly", "order from chaos", or similar. Those strawmen are put up, to get knocked down, by people that haven't made the smallest effort to understand science. And yes, understanding science does tend to create non-believers, if only because the more that you understand science, the harder it is to accept impossible stories.

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  10. And so some will argue forever that there is no God. What does any of this prove ? It proves "we" will argue, what a waste of time and energy. Enjoy nature's beauty, ponder the creation or the Creator but please, making all knowing judgements is a waste of time.
    I pray for you that don't believe in Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

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  11. Even randomness and chaos have a pattern. Anything that is a result of 'cause and effect' (which is everything) has a pattern. The only difference is that chaos and "randomness" are results of patterns too far apart for anyone to witness them, visually. Much like evolution. There was a time when disease and illness was believed to be "punishment from [insert god of choice] until human intellect evolved enough to discover what the real causes of disease and illness are. Slowly, step by step, we are discovering logical explanations for things once believed to be the result of some mythical fairy tale or deity.

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  12. Where did the will to sprout from random chaos come from? Where did the will come from that moved the very first cell to divide?
    I believe that was the will of God. Know body can come close to explaining where those acts of will came from. None believers are so into themselves they feel the need to belittle the things they can not comprehend. It somehow makes them feel superior. Silly really.

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  13. Can't we all just enjoy the view without calling each other names?

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  14. The best way to enjoy any picture of beauty ..... stop reading the comments. Btw I believe the big bang theory. Amen! to that.

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  15. if God doesn't exist...so why are you here on earth??? how did you know the word God if He doesn't exist??? #justasking

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    1. I know the word "unicorn" (and presumably you do, too). That doesn't mean they exist.

      Why does there have to be a "why" to our existence? We're here because we're here.

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