Excursion Unesco high coast exploration tour at Örnsköldsvik

The Höga Kusten shore is the highest and steepest coastline around the entire Baltic region, and is Sweden's only coastal area with cliffs. During the last Ice Age, this area was covered by a mass of ice almost two miles thick, and the earth's crust was compressed. The land slowly began to rise from the sea when the ice melted, and it continues to rise at a rate of about three feet every century.

This is a unique phenomenon and is why UNESCO designated the High Coast as a World Heritage Site in 2001. Your tour starts with a scenic drive to Skuleberget. The top of this peak is 964 feet above sea level, and, where the precipice meets the sea, the cliff has a height of 938 feet: the highest coastline anywhere in the world. Admission is included to the Naturum, a Visitor Center where you can see a permanent exhibition and an audio-visual presentation giving more information about the flora, fauna, geology and culture of this area. A special Naturum guide will walk you through the exhibition.

Continue afterwards with a scenic drive to Barsta, pausing along the way at Nordingrå to see the ruins of a 12th-century church. In Barsta see the Fishermen's Chapel; a nearby spring is supposed to bring good health to all who drink its water. You also stop in Bönhamn, a fishing village with an attractive marina that is popular with visiting yachtsmen, before returning to your ship via Svedjeholmen.

Note

Please note: This excursion is suitable for guests with limited mobility and may be able to accommodate a folding wheelchair. Comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended.