Sweden Guide
The Bothnian coast
The Höga Kusten (High Coast)
Between Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik lies the Höga Kusten or High Coast, the beautiful stretch of Bothnian coastline characterized by rolling hills and verdant valleys that plunge precipitously into the Gulf. During the Ice Age, the region sank some 800m under the weight of the three-kilometre-thick sheet of ice; the rebound has caused the High Coast to rise slowly but dramatically ever since, creeping back up at a rate of 8mm per year. The resulting dynamic landscape has recently been added to the World Heritage list: the rugged shoreline is composed of sheer cliffs and craggy outcrops of rock, along with some peaceful sandy coves. Offshore are dozens of islands, some just skerries no more than a few square metres in size, others much larger and covered with dense pine forest – it was on these that the tradition of preparing the foul-smelling surströmming (fermented Baltic herring) is thought to have first started.
The coastline is best seen from the sea, and a trip out to one of the islands gives a perfect impression of the scale of things; however, it's also possible to walk virtually the entire length of the coast on the Höga Kusten leden, a long-distance hiking path that extends 130km from the Golden Gate-style suspension bridge just north of Härnösand – one of the longest in the world – to Örnsköldsvik; accommodation is in huts, farmhouses and villages along the way, and can be booked at the High Coast's tourist offices. The path crosses through the small but untamed Skuleskogen National Park, whose 30km of marked paths traverse lush forest, boulder fields, sharp peaks and the impressive Slåtterdalsskrevan gorge, a sharp gouge into the mountain 40m deep and just 7m wide; Skuleskogen can be also be visited on a day trip with your own transport.