Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
forty or so red-and-white houses right on the waterfront. The village's wooden
chapel
,
which is usually unlocked, is one of the oldest on the Bothnian coast, dating from
around 1655. Like the church on neighbouring Ulvön, the interior is decorated with
colourful murals.
Trysunda is crisscrossed with walking paths, leading through the forests of dwarf pine
that cover the island - many of which have become gnarled and twisted under the force
of the wind. The island's gently sloping rocks make it ideal for bathing, and you'll find
plenty of secluded spots where you can do so. There's a
sandy beach
at
Björnviken
, a
bay on the eastern part of the island, and some smooth rocks on the north coast, just to
the east of
Bockviken
. An easily walked path from the village will take you to both
beaches and round the entire island in an hour or two. To continue east from
Björnviken, don't be tempted to strike off round the headland, as the rocks there are
impassable; instead, stay on the path, which cuts inland, and follow the signs for
Storviken.
7
Skrubban
As you approach or leave the island, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of
elk on the neighbouring island, the volcanic and uninhabited
Skrubban
. Although the
island has been a nature reserve since 1940, every year some hunting is allowed to
control the animal population and prevent unnecessary suffering from starvation, a
practice followed elsewhere in Sweden too.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
TRYSUNDA
By boat
Heading here in summer (mid-June to mid-Aug)
from Ulvön, you'll first need to get the boat to
Köpmanholmen, from where you can catch the twice-daily
ferry to Trysunda. Outside the summer season, there's a
direct boat (daily except Sat) from Ulvön to Trysunda,
avoiding the need to travel via Köpmanholmen. Boat times
are at
W
ornskoldsvikshamn.se.
Map
There's a free map of the island available at the
village shop.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Trysunda Gästhamn
T
0660 430 38,
W
trysunda.com.
There are 23 beds in rather cramped double rooms sharing
facilities located right by the harbour inside the red
building which functions as the service centre for the
marina. There are also a kitchen, dining room, sauna and
washing
machi
ne on site, available to guests. May-Sept.
Doubles
500kr
Village shop
Stocks the bare necessities, including fresh
and smoked fish, and the dreaded
surströmming
.
Umeå and around
UMEÅ
is the biggest city in the north of Sweden, with a current population of 114,000
people, which means that an astonishing one in ten of the residents of Norrland live
here. Demographically speaking, it's probably Sweden's youngest city, a notion borne
CITY OF BIRCH TREES
Umeå is sometimes referred to as the “City of Birch Trees”, after the trees that were planted
along every street following a devastating fire in 1888. Most of the city was burnt to the
ground in the blaze, and two-thirds of the town's three thousand inhabitants lost their homes.
In the rebuilding which soon began apace, two wide esplanades, one of which is
Rådhusesplanaden, were constructed to act as fire breaks and help prevent such a disaster
happening again. A decree was then handed down stating that the birch was the most
suitable tree to add life to the town's newly reconstructed streets; even today, the city council
places ads for free trees in the local papers and provides free birch saplings every spring to
anyone who wants them.
