Saksun: the lagoon, the church and the turf-roofed houses
Saksun, in northwest Streymoy, has a tidal lagoon, a church from 1858 and a museum farm. How to get there, the fee to walk down to the lagoon and the rules.
Saksun is a tiny village at the end of the road, in northwest Streymoy. Its best-known image is a white church with a turf roof above a lagoon surrounded by mountains.
The lagoon
The lagoon was a fjord until, in the 17th century, a storm closed its mouth with sand. Since then it has been a saltwater lagoon that only small boats can enter at high tide. At low tide you can walk across the sand to the sea, always keeping an eye on the rising water.
The church
Saksun church was consecrated in 1858. It was not built here: it stood in Tjørnuvík, and the villagers took it apart, carried it over the mountain and put it back up in Saksun.
Dúvugarðar farm
The turf-roofed houses of Dúvugarðar are a protected farm that belongs to the National Museum. It still works as a sheep farm and opens as a museum in summer, roughly from mid-June to the end of August.
How to get there and what to do
- Saksun is at the end of a narrow road: drive slowly and use the passing places.
- Hike to Tjørnuvík: one of the classic village-to-village walks on Streymoy. There are also trails towards Haldórsvík and Vestmanna.
Respect the village: very few people live here and the farm is in use. Do not walk into the pastures or gardens, and park only where it is allowed.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to go to the Saksun lagoon?
Yes. The path to the beach and the lagoon crosses private land with a payment gate. The latest published figure (2019 and 2022) was 75 DKK per person, by card. Check the current price when you arrive.
Can you go inside the museum farm?
The Dúvugarðar farm is a museum and opens in summer, roughly from mid-June to the end of August. The rest of the year it is still a working farm.
Can you walk from Saksun to Tjørnuvík?
Yes, it is one of the classic village-to-village hikes on Streymoy, along the old mountain path.