Hiking through Skuleskogen National Park in northeast Sweden , I have a spring in my step – even though I’m clambering over solid boulders.
Below, forest-covered islands glow like emeralds in the silky, calm Gulf of Bothnia. A high latitude Scandinavian sun has been heating the rocks for hours, tempting me to bask like a lizard for the remainder of the day.
But there’s another scientific explanation for why I’m feeling so buoyant – because the ground is literally rising beneath my feet.
Hiking in Skuleskogen National Park (Sarah Marshall/PA)Once compressed by an ice sheet, land in this area has slowly been rebounding for centuries and now rises at a rate of 9mm per year. At 286metres above sea level, the coastline is the highest in the world and listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.Best explored on hikes, boat rides or even by climbing mountain faces, the scenery is a geological storybook of our planet’s past and present. An area for adventurers, the High Coast has also become a home for creatives and experimental foodies.While the rest of Europe roasts, a pleasant breeze and long summer days make August and early September an ideal time to visit.As the region continues to rise both physically – and in popularity – here are five great discoveries to be made…Meet like-minded souls at an adventure commune
Hikers, kayakers and those who love a campfire conversation will find kindred spirits at this hipster hangout and events hub. Created by entrepreneur Jerry Engström, Friluftsbyn is a collection of cool WIFI-equipped cabins surrounding a communal hub where beers and food are served.Concerts and events are held throughout the year, including the High Coast Hike with three challenges taking place on September 6 and 7 – including a 15km race to scale three peaks, a 26km trail from coast to summit in seven hours, and the original 45km race where you can run, jog or speed hike to complete the course within 12 hours.Aimed at urbanites who might never have put up a tent in their life, there’s an emphasis on making nature accessible to everyone with a view to nurturing creativity. Visit friluftsbyn.se.Visit the home of Fjällräven
Every Swede fondly recalls owning a Fjällräven backpack or messenger bag as a child. Boosted by nostalgia, the classic piece of kit has become a cult hit around the world.Find bags in an assortment of shades (there are around 75 different colourways) at the Naturkompaniet outlet store in n Örnsköldsvik. The brand was founded here in 1960, when Åke Nordin made a wooden-framed backpack in his basement using his mother’s sewing machine and his father’s tools.The store sells end of season apparel at a big reduction and also offers a repair service for well-loved items.Tackle Skule Mountain
For a thrilling perspective on the region’s mosaic of islands and weaving waterways, climb to the top of Skule Mountain. Several routes have been established along the 250-metre-high east face, using pegs, footholds and steel cable to create a safe but challenging ascent.The team from the Via Ferrata adventure centre can provide all the necessary equipment – hard hats, backpacks, karabiners and gloves – along with a guide if desired.Graded moderate, the white route is the easiest to climb and takes about two hours. Although nerve-wracking in places, the view from the top is worth every bead of sweat and fearful tear. Tickets from around £30. Visit viaferrata.se.Make (non)sense of a pricey passion project
A cross between an outdoor gallery and a kleptomaniac’s fantasy land, Mannaminne is a chaos of colourful buildings and collectables curated by the late artist Anders Åberg. Find it the heart of the High Coast region, close to the village of Nordingrå.Walk through streets lined with traditional houses from across Scandinavia, an accordion museum and a building constructed around a giant hand-carved globe. Trams, fighter jets and submersibles are also part of the eccentric empire which cost the artist several million kroner to amass.Cabins on site are available to rent and a small coffee shop is also open to guests. Every summer, the site provides an atmospheric setting for jazz and harmonica festivals. Visit mannaminne.se/en.Sample a stinky fish delicacy
It sounds like the sort of dish to make stomachs turn, but fermented Baltic herring has a loyal following in Sweden. Salted and ‘soured’ for several months (or even years), ‘surströmming’ acquires its unique flavour as the result of a lactic acid enzyme produced from the fish’s spine.Based on a tradition dating back to the 16th century when the country had a salt shortage, the delicacy has been produced on Ulvö island for hundreds of years and the historic Ulvö Hotell is one of the best places to try it.Best opened under water to subdue the stench, the fish is cut into tiny pieces and served on crackers with a shot of beer or gin to wash it down. Fans of Marmite, gorgonzola and umami flavours will likely be pleasantly surprised. Afterwards, take a stroll around the island, where summerhouses cling to the rocky shore like limpets and only 35 people live here year-round.How to plan your trip
For more information on the destination, visit hogakusten.com/en
SAS (flysas.com) fly to Sundsvall airport via Stockholm from London.
