The High Coast () is a part of the coast of Sweden on the Gulf of Bothnia, in the Ångermanland province of northeast Sweden, centered in the area of the municipalities of Kramfors, Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik. It is notable as an area for research on post-glacial rebound and eustacy, in which the land rises as the covering glaciers melt, a phenomenon first recognised and studied there. Since the last ice age, the land has risen 300 meters, which accounts for the region's unusually tall cliffs. The High Coast and the Finnish Kvarken constitute the Swedish/Finnish UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its exceptional geology and unique example of isostatic rebound.
Geology The relief of the High Coast is that of a large-scale joint valley terrain that dissects uplifted remnants of the Sub-Cambrian peneplain.
During the Ice Ages of the past 2-3 million years, the High Coast was repeatedly covered by continental ice sheet, including the Fennoscandian ice sheet until roughly 9600 years ago. When the glaciers retreated from the High Coast, the ground, which had been compacted by the weight of the ice sheet, went through rapid uplift, a process known as isostatic rebound. This rebound caused an uplift of roughly 285 meters, the highest known isostatic rebound on Earth. The region is still rising, on the order of 8 mm per year. Remains of the former shorelines can be seen along the High Coast.
Some of the fish species found in the High Coast are relict species from the most recent ice age, including the Fourhorn sculpin. Other animal species resident to the high coast include brown bears, lynx, and moose.
History The area known today as Höga Kusten has historically been known as the Ångermanland Coast.Johan Nordlander 1853-1934 Gävlebornas fiskefärder till Ångermanlands kust 1924 (Trips to the Ångermanland coast by fishermen from Gävle)Lars Silén. Några ryggradslösa havsdjur från Ångermanlands kust (utanför Ulvön); Svensk faunistisk revy; 1955(17):4, s. 110-114Marine invertebrates from the Ångermanland coast (outside Ulvön). Included in the Swedish Revue of Fauna 1955 (17):4 pp 110-114 In 1974, the term High Coast () was coined in connection with a report on the area.Höga Kustenutredningen. Huvudrapport Höga Kusten-kommittén. Härnösand: Kommittén, 1974 (Swedish) 329 s., 5 maps (Main report from the High Coast Committee. Härnösand 1974.
In 2000, UNESCO put the area on the World Heritage List: "The High Coast site affords outstanding opportunities for the understanding of the important processes that formed the glaciated and land uplift areas of the Earth's surface."In 2006, the High Coast was joined with the Finnish Kvarken areas. The World Heritage Site ranges from the High Coast Bridge (Swedish: Högakustenbron) in the South to Skagsudde in the North.
Recreation The High Coast Trail (Swedish: Höga Kusten-leden) is a long-distance hiking trail stretching approximately 135 km through the High Coast World Heritage Site, from the High Coast Bridge in the south to Örnsköldsvik in the north.
The trail is divided into nine sections and passes through a diverse landscape with elevations reaching up to 250 meters above sea level. Sections of the trail are accessible by car and public transport and it can be hiked in its entirety or in individual sections. See also
Skuleskogen National Park Höga Kusten Bridge
References
Bibliography Bergström, Lars (1975). Höga kusten: natur, människor och tradition längs kusten från Sundsvall till Örnsköldsvik - ett av Sveriges vackraste och mest särpräglade landskap Stockholm : Bonniers 1975 80pp (The High Coast: the landscape, people and traditions along the coast from Sundsvall to Örnsköldsvik - one of Sweden's most beautiful and distinctive landscapes) (Swedish)
External links
Höga Kusten tourism website High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage Site's official website High Coast Hike - Annual Hiking Event Skuleskogen Nationalpark website Skule Mountain - Visitor Guide Ulvön Island - Visitor Guide Höga Kusten Bridge Västernorrland County Museum Website UNESCO World Heritage profile