Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
shoreline of sheer cliffs and craggy outcrops gives way to gently undulating pebble
coves. The dramatic landscape of Höga Kusten is the result of the isostatic uplift that
has occurred since the last Ice Age; as the ice melted, the land, no longer weighed down
by ice up to 3km thick, rose by 286m. There's nowhere in the world where the uplift
has been so great as in this part of Sweden, and, in fact, it is still rising at a rate of 8mm
every year.
Of Höga Kusten are dozens of islands, some no more than a few metres square in
size, others much larger and covered with dense pine forest. It was on these islands that
the tradition of preparing the foul-smelling
surströmming
is thought to have begun
(see p.263). A trip here is a must for anyone travelling up or down the Bothnian coast;
from out at sea, you'll get the best view possible of the coastal cliffs which (as the very
name High Coast suggests) are the tallest in the country. The islands themselves are
havens of peace and tranquillity, offering the chance to get away from it all. Among the
most beautiful in the chain are, from south to north:
Högbonden
,
Ulvön
and
Trysunda
.
Each of these islands can be visited using a combination of buses and boats; before
setting off, make sure you've understood the boat timetables (available at tourist
offices), which are in Swedish only and can be confusing.
7
GETTING AROUND THE HIGH COAST
By boat
The boats that serve the islands here operate only
in summer, except for the
M/S Ulvön
, which sails for Ulvön
all year round. For the latest bus and ferry times, check out
W
dintur.se or
W
ornskoldsvikshamn.se. All boats accept
bicycles but not cars.
By car
Travelling between Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik
along the E4 will involve crossing over the Ångerman River
via the stunning High Coast bridge (no tolls). One of the
longest suspension bridges in the world, with a span of
1210m, it has dramatically shortened the journey by
cutting out a lengthy detour upriver to the old bridge
between Lunde and Klockestrand. Reaching a height of
180m above the water, the bridge is only 70m shorter than
San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, which it closely
resembles.
Högbonden
After a mere ten-minute boat ride from Bönhamn on the mainland, the steep sides of
the tiny island of
HÖGBONDEN
rise up in front of you. Although the island can feel a
little overcrowded with day-trippers in peak season (July to mid-Aug), at its best it's a
wonderfully deserted, peaceful haven. There are no shops - so bring any provisions you'll
need with you - and no hotels on the island; in fact the only building here is a former
lighthouse, now converted into a
youth hostel
(see p.262). It's situated on a rocky plateau
at the island's highest point, where the pine and spruce trees, so prominent elsewhere
on the island, have been unable to get a foothold; Högbonden's flora also includes
rowan, sallow, aspen and birch trees, as well as various mosses that compete for space
with wild bilberries.
You'll only get to know the special charm of Högbonden if you stay a couple of
nights and take time to explore: a narrow gorge runs north-south across the island, and
there are also forested hillsides and a shoreline where eider ducks glide by with their
young. he
views
out across the Gulf of Bothnia are stunning; on a sunny day you
could easily imagine you're in the middle of the Mediterranean.
Wood-burning sauna
At any time, you can head for the traditional
wood-burning sauna
down by the sea,
two minutes' walk from the jetty (it's signposted “bastu” off the island's one and only
path); you'll need to book your slot with the youth hostel staff, who keep the sauna's
key. Afterwards, you can take a quick skinny-dip in the cool waters of the Gulf of
Bothnia. The sunsets, seen from the boardwalk in front of the sauna, are truly idyllic.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
HOUSE IN THE LULEÅ ARCHIPELAGO (P.276); A TIN OF
SURSTROMMING
(P.263); LIGHTHOUSE AT HÖGBONDEN
(P.260) >
