Tindholmur
Tindhólmur is a 262m high uninhabited islet near the island of Vágar, which is part of the Faroe Islands. This archipelago which lies in between Scotland and Iceland formed around 55 million years ago when Greenland and Europe separated and a large basaltic plateau known as the Faroe-Rockall Plateau came into being. The region was volcanically very active until it moved away from the Mid-Atlantic ridge to where it is now. The best way to describe the remnants of this volcanism, the rocky Faroe archipelago, would be as giant slices of tiered basalt. Or in case of Tindholmur, as a giant shark tooth.
A pretty gruesome legend about Tindhólmur tells the story of a family consisting of a man; woman and small child that once lived on the rugged rock. While the father was fishing an eagle stole the two-year old child and took it to its nest. The parents horrifically found their child with its eyes plucked out in the eagle’s nest. The child later died and ever since nobody wants to live on the barren rock. Interestingly, one of the peaks of Tindhólmur is called Arnartind (Eagle’s peak).
Between Tindhólmur and Vagar are two sea stacks (even smaller than an islet) collectively known as Dranganir. One of these displays a natural arch.
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Image: Erik Christensen. Tindhólmur as seen from the southeast.
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