Destination Skellefteå

ancient remains. people have lived in this area since
the inland ice retreated around 10,000 years ago and
left traces of their existence in the form of ancient remains.
the many pit traps bear witness to the fact that
elk hunting was an important activity and, on the outskirts
of the archipelago, seal hunters and fishermen
left stone circle remains of structures and ancient
labyrinths. a large number of impressive Bronze age
barrows are evident but not all ancient remains are as
easy to detect. if you are interested, a great deal of
information can be found at skellefteå museum.
bjursjöaltaret, n18. one of the newest nature reserves
in the area. the area includes magical ancient
woodland, majestic views and the deep Lake Bjursjön
which is said to be home to a mysterious aquatic creature.
there are two peaks, yttre and inre Bjursjöaltaret.
yttre offers an endless beautiful view, 124 precipitous
metres above Lake Bjursjön.
bjuröklubb, r16. with its beautiful coastal setting
and distinctive cultural environment, Bjuröklubb is an
important area for people who want to enjoy the outdoor
life. here you will find an enormous area of flat rocks,
extensive sand dunes, shingle banks and footpaths
that take you through the forests to coastal “gems”.
brännberget, o16. the calcerous bedrock of
kågedalen has created the perfect habitat for the
Lady’s slipper, one of the largest orchids in sweden,
which grows prolifically in this area. around ten other
orchids can be found here, including the calypso and
fragrant orchids. it is important to coincide your visit
with the appropriate time of year: the calypso comes
into bloom between april and may, the Lady’s slipper
in the second half of June and the fragrant at the beginning
of July – just to name a few.
brännliden, n9. nature reserve featuring fairy-tale
ancient woodland with 250-400 year old trees draped
with hanging lichen. here you will find a number of
plants and animals associated with primeval forests.
the nature reserve is only 100 metres from the main
road and is an excellent excursion destination.
burehällorna, Q15. this nature conservation area
is best reached by boat although the elevation of the
land has created a narrow connection with the mainland
so the area can also be reached on foot. here you
will find beautiful smooth rocks, sandy beaches and
shingle banks. a perfect destination for sun, sea and
sand or barbecues on a peaceful summer’s evening.
caves and caverns. in addition to the previously
mentioned robbers’ cave. trollkyrkan in vebomark
consists of passages between rocks and is some 20
metres long. Legend has it that the boulders were
thrown here by a troll, hence the name. a more likely
explanation is that the cave was created by inland
ice, earthquakes and ocean waves. Lobergsgrottan
in Bygdsiljum is 100 metres long, of which 70 are accessible.
a story tells of a brave huntsman with a gun
with a brass pipe who never missed his target. Before
his death, he was said to have hidden his weapon in
this cave. although these caves are considered to be
safe, we advise you to wear a helmet and don’t forget
a torch!
Europe’s longest avenue of birch trees, n17. Between
avaborg and Bygdeträsk, a distance of approximately
10 kilometres, extends an avenue of birches
with a total of approximately 1,300 birch trees. planned
in the summer of 1934, the area is now classed as
a cultural environment of national interest.
finnforsrövarnas grotta, m14. tales of robbers in
the finnforsberget area are legion. one tells the story
of gunilla, a woman who disappeared from medle at
the beginning of the 16th century. when she returned
three years later, she told how she had been taken
captive by robbers in this cave in finnforsberget.
wilderness and ancient woodlands just around the corner.
photo: conny Lundström
fällforsen, o10. in the middle of fällfors, the Byske
river bursts through a precipitous and narrow passage
causing the water to rush through with extra
turbulence. the salmon ladder on the southern side is
the main fishway and, during the summer months, regular
fishing demonstrations are given with large bag
nets. on the northern side, a new fishway has been
constructed with an observatory where spectators
can watch through a thick glazed wall to see what happens
beneath the river’s turbulent surface.
gärdefjärden, Q18. this was a bay 500 years ago
but elevation of the land has created a perfect lake for
birds with more than 140 different species recorded.
the area is grazed by mountain cattle that play an important
role in the management of the nature reserve.
paths adapted for people with disabilities, outlook
tower with ramp.
Jätteasparna forest, n15. two kilometres south
of skråmträsk lies one of the most remarkable forest
areas in sweden. Broad, rugged trunks and extremely
high, extensive tree canopy structures – over time,
the thick rough bark of the giant aspens has played
host to an abundance of lichens, mosses and insects.
the still vigorous aspens are nearly 300 years old and
probably the oldest examples in sweden.
The mareograph, p12. furuögrund is the land
elevation centre of scandinavia with the land rising at
a rate of 91.6 cm per hundred years. the mareograph
measures the rise and fall of the water several times a
day, which is unique as it is a manual instrument.
marranäsvältan, fällfors, o10. Just south of
fällfors village is västerbotten’s grand canyon. an
underground creek has created an enormous canyon,
160 metres long and up to 50 metres deep. constant
erosion means that the canyon continues to grow with
every passing year.
mushrooms. the skellefteå region has many different
types of forest and, consequently, a large
variety of delicious mushrooms. in the pine heath
forests you will find ceps, sand boletus, boletus luteus
and the exclusive tricholoma goliath, also known as
matsutake. the coniferous forests are home to yellow
chanterelles, funnel chanterelles, white hedgehog
mushrooms and pore fungi. in marshy conditions
you will find västerbotten’s province mushroom, the
gypsy mushroom or rozites caperata. those who are
unsure about identification can go on a fungus foray
with a mushroom consultant, see page 11.
ostviksfjärden’s grazed coastal meadows, p13.
15 km north of skellefteå, the sea is visible from
highway e4 once again. the area has been restored
and now consists of 55 hectares of coastal meadows,
grazed by cattle and sheep from early summer to late
autumn. two observation towers, one of which is accessible
by wheelchair. a fascinating spot to see resting
birds during the spring and autumn migrations,
while summer guests include Lapwings and curlews.
petroglyphs at finnforsberget, m14. as recently
as 2006, a rock face with wall paintings was discovered
at finnforsberget outside Boliden. the figures
depict some 15 fish as well as elk, making the find
unique. the rock paintings are approximately 4,000
years old. the area is relatively inaccessible.
rare plants. the area surrounding skellefteå is
home to a jungle of ferns the height of a man and tall
herbaceous shrubs as well as vascular plants that are
rarely seen elsewhere in the country. orchids such as
the calypso and Lady’s slipper can be found in several
locations and the rare “finnrosen” grows in protected
conditions in one of our many nature reserves.
The ravine landscape of the skellefte river.
there are several ravine forests between klutmark
and krångfors, exciting landscapes the length of the
creeks running out into the river. two examples are
nysvidjeberget and Brubäcken.
right of public access. thanks to the law, you can
go virtually anywhere you like in the swedish countryside
and choose from a multitude of opportunities for
enjoying the outdoor life in sweden. But remember
to take responsibility for the natural environment and
wildlife and consider the interests of landowners and
other visitors. more information can be obtained from
skellefteå tourist office.
skellefte river by boat. the river is quite an experience
from its banks but even more so when sitting in
a boat. you can sail on relatively large boats to Bergsbydammen,
where the lock chamber measures 12 x
4 metres. the river trip takes you through a beautiful,
wooded landscape. at several points, such as småälvarna,
you may well be tempted to take a detour that
can only be navigated by small boats with outboard
motors. in skellefteå, you can moor in one of the guest
stations on the north quay, between the first two road
bridges. detailed information is given in the route description
available from skellefteå tourist office.
skellefte river in the city, p14. the mighty skellefte
river is a central and important part of skellefteå
city. it is scattered with small islands and islets, and is
the starting point for wonderful walks. from the city
centre, through the cultural heart and nordanå all the
way to scenic hiking trails.
svansele water meadows, l12. hay meadows
along the winding petikån stream. in 1825 a special
technology was invented to dam the area and use ice
and water to fertilise and purify the land. today these
meadows are unique. in springtime bird life thrives
and in late summer hay is cut and dried like in the
olden days.
Tjärnbergsheden, o15. halfway between skellefteå
and Burträsk you will find a natural forest that is
one of the richest in species in the province. covering
100 hectares, the relatively untouched forest landscape
includes everything from meagre pine-clad hills
to imposing primeval spruce trees and wetlands. the
northern part of the forest features ancient trees draped
with hanging lichen – some as much as 250 years
old – while the southern part has marshier ground
with equally old spruce. the area is relatively level and
easy to walk in.
vitbergen, kalvträsk, l15. the largest natural
forest area in the whole of västerbotten and a real
wilderness. the area is extremely hilly and has knotty
pines, broad aspens and lichen-covered spruce. you
may be lucky and see a golden eagle as well as a capercaillie.
there are several paths and tracks and the
size of the area may well tempt you to rough it for the
night and put up a tent.
vitbergsområdet, l12, skellefteå. with forests of
a wilderness character and a wide range of outdoor
activities, vitberget is an area just north of central
skellefteå where even the briefest of visits will take
you through barren stony ground, dense spruce forest
and mysterious bogland. the area also features
sparse pillar pine forest and a couple of beautiful,
black woodland meres.
vithatten, k10. the second highest mountain in
the area and a nature reserve rich in bird life. marshy
ground rich in vegetation and a number of old barns
and hay-drying racks. dating from the 1800s, the
area also features a settlement on the east side of the
mountain that is associated with a number of thrilling
ghost stories.
wild berries. during late summer and autumn, the
forests are carpeted with a large variety of wild berries.
one of the first forest berries of the season is
the golden cloudberry which ripens at the end of July.
arctic raspberries grow in July and august along the
beaches, ancient meadows and woodland paths.
raspberries, blueberries, lingonberries, sea buckthorn
and cranberries are other delicacies waiting to
be picked.
See all maps on pages 48–49.
nature
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