Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Bothnian coast
Sweden's east coast, bordering the Gulf of Bothnia (Bottenhavet), forms a
corridor of land that is quite unlike the rest of the north of the country; the
forest, so apparent in other parts of the north, has been felled here to make
room for settlements. Although the entire coastline is dotted with towns and
villages that reveal a faded history - some, like Gävle and Hudiksvall, still
have their share of old wooden houses, though sadly much was lost during
the Russian incursions of the eighteenth century - it is cities like Sundsvall,
Umeå and Luleå that are more typical of the region: modern, bright and airy
metropolises that rank as some of northern Sweden's liveliest and most
likeable destinations.
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All along the coast you'll find traces of the religious fervour that swept the north in
centuries past;
Skellefteå
and particularly
Luleå
(included on the UNESCO World
Heritage List) both boast excellently preserved
kyrkstäder
or church towns - clusters of
old wooden cottages dating from the early eighteenth century, where villagers from
outlying districts would spend the night after making the lengthy journey to church in
the nearest town. Working your way up the coast, perhaps on the long train ride to
Swedish Lapland, it's worth breaking your trip at one or two of these places.
The highlight of the Bothnian coast is undoubtedly the stretch known as the
Höga
Kusten
, or the High Coast (see p.259), north of Härnösand: for peace and quiet, this is
easily the most idyllic part of the Swedish east coast. Its indented coastline is best seen
from the sea, with shimmering fjords that reach deep inland, tall cliffs and a string of
pine-clad islands that make it possible to island-hop up this section of coast. The
weather here may not be as reliable as further south, but you're guaranteed clean
beaches (which you'll often have to yourself ), crystal-clear waters and some of the finest
countryside for walking.
GETTING AROUND THE BOTHNIAN COAST
Unlike southern Sweden, travel anywhere in the north of the country requires careful planning. Many
trains
only operate
once or twice daily and
bus
services to destinations off the beaten track can be skeletal - particularly between mid-June
and mid-August when, arguably, the need for transport is greatest. Before setting off, make sure you check all travel details
thoroughly: two good places to start are the SJ and Resrobot websites,
W
sj.se and
W
resrobot.se.
By train
Following the completion of a new section of
track north of Härnösand (the Botniabanan railway), the
train route to northern Sweden now hugs the coast from
Gävle all the way up to Umeå; it's thought services could
start running here in late 2013 though the opening date
has already slipped by several years. Until the new track
opens fully, services operate via Gävle, Ånge and
Örnsköldsvik on their way to and from Umeå. From
Sundsvall trains run inland to Östersund via Ånge where
you can connect with services operating on the
Inlandsbanan through central and northern parts of the
country.
By bus
From Sundsvall bus services run north to major
towns along the coast, bound for all points north to
Haparanda. There are also several bus services running
inland from Umeå and Skellefteå, which can whisk you up
Hälsingland's Gauguin: John Sten
p.250
Musik vid Dellen
p.251
Boat trips from Sundsvall
p.255
Surströmming
p.263
City of Birch Trees
p.264
Sweden's church towns
p.269
Two countries: one town
p.279
