Varmakelda — Local services in Norðragøta

We were directed to this warm water spring by the incredibly friendly local guide at the visitor centre at the village nearby. She pointed out that this spring is thought to have healing properties and can strengthen feelings of love. Sounds magical! We took off to find Varmakelda, got lost after seeing construction sites, found a road and parked by it, before trudging through the then muddy hill to find this mysterious spring. There was first a medium sized rock with a sign, followed by a pile of rocks. We finally found a small spring of water that was lukewarm and had tiny bubbles trickling out of the ground. The little journey to find it was like a treasure hunt in itself! Just turn around, sit among the rocks and enjoy the peaceful view of hills, water and the cloudy sky. Not sure about the healing properties of the water itself, but being there at that point in time felt right in so many ways :)

We were...

It is said that a supernatural force resides in Varmakelda, capable of healing any illness. Because of this belief, water from Varmakelda has often been brought home to the elderly and the sick.

It is also said that if two people drink from the spring at the same time, they will fall in love and become a couple. This belief has led to the tradition of offering water from Varmakelda to newlyweds on their wedding day.

According to researchers at the University of the Faroe Islands, Varmakelda has likely been known since the earliest settlers arrived in the Faroes. It is thought to have been a site where Vikings performed sacrifices, and it is possible that Varmakelda also served as a sacrificial site during the time of the Viking chieftan Tróndur í Gøtu.

P.S. Visitors to Varmakelda should know that it is a small spring, more lukewarm than hot, with a maximum temperature of around 18...

It’s quite hard to find the spring from the road stop, since there is not signs telling you that it’s actually a hike down to the ocean. You have to follow the small wooden pikes in the ground down to the first stone cairn. From there you follow the next pikes to go further down to the ocean until you see the second stone cairn. You can recognise the area with the spring since there is a lot of algae on the stones where the lukewarm water flows from the spring. The actual spring is only the size of a basket ball and you can see small bubbles coming up from the ground. The area is beautiful but the spring itself is...