Mykines

Mykines

Mykines is the westernmost of the 18 main Faeroese islands, located west of the 7.5° W parallel. Mykines is also the name of the only settlement on the island. Korkadalur valley, where the huge basalt columns known as the Stone Wood can be found, lies on the north side of the island. West of Mykines is the 1 km long islet of Mykineshólmur where a lighthouse was built in 1909. Its eastern end is connected to the island of Mykines by a 40-meter-long footbridge. Mountain Hares were introduced to the island and live in the mountains and surrounding valleys, and the Mykines House Mouse is endemic to the island. It is thought to have been introduced as early as the 6th century, perhaps by Irish monks who settled the island. Mykines and Mykineshólmur have a large population of puffins and gannets. The coastal cliffs are home to colonies of cormorants, while the eroded tufa layers of the cliffs provide perfect nesting habitat for guillemots and razorbills. Thousands of burrows and their guano fertilize the grassy slopes above the bird cliffs. Mykines and Mykineshólmur has been designated as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International due to its importance as a breeding site for seabirds, notably Northern Fulmars, Atlantic Puffins, Manx Shearwaters, European Storm Petrels, European Shags, Northern Gannets, Blacklegged Kittiwakes, Common Guillemots and Black Guillemots.