Funningur

Funningur is a town on the Faroe Islands. It is located on the north-west coast of Eysturoy (62°17′17″N 6°58′2″W / 62.28806°N 6.96722°W / 62.28806; -6.96722). It was the only village in the municipality called Funnings kommuna, which on 1 January 2009 became part of Runavíkar kommuna.

To the west of the village rises the highest mountain in the Faroe Islands: Slættaratindur (882m).

Tradition says that the first viking who settled on the Faroe Islands settled in Funningur. His name was Grímur Kamban, a Norwegian Viking escaping the tyranny of the Norse king Haraldur Hárfagri. However, this is an error in this saga, because Harald's age was in the late 9th century, while the first Norse settlers reached the Faroes after 825. (Actually, Irish monks arrived much earlier ca. 625–650).

About 70 people live in Funningur on both sides of a cascading stream in a compact cluster of houses around a small bay. The wooden turf-roofed church in Funningur dates from 1847 and stands at the water's edge.

Mountains surrounding the village (counter-clockwise from the north):

  • Middagsfjall (601m) (due north)
  • Gráfelli (856m)
  • Slættaratindur (882m) (due west)
  • Vaðhorn (780m)
  • Blámansfjall (792m) with outcropping Nón (504m)
  • Húsafjall (697m) (due south)