High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago Nature Reserve

Address: High Coast (Höga Kusten), Västernorrland County; Kvarken Archipelago, Gulf of Bothnia (region spans Sweden-Finland)

Website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list

Hours: Open year-round (outdoor sites accessible at all times; visitor centres vary)

Admission: Free (natural area; access to land- and seascapes is public; some visitor centres/boat tours may charge)

High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago is a transnational natural site that links Sweden’s High Coast with the Kvarken Archipelago in Finland, inscribed for its outstanding record of post-glacial land uplift and distinctive glacial landforms. The area demonstrates ongoing geological processes that have shaped the northern Baltic coastline.

The Swedish High Coast exhibits steep cliffs, raised beaches and long-term uplift features that reveal emergence of land since deglaciation. On the Finnish side, the Kvarken Archipelago offers extensive low-lying islands, De Geer moraine ridges and rapidly changing shorelines that are rare and instructive for glacial geomorphology. Together the two components provide visible sequences of landscape change across sea, island and coastal environments.

Since the last Ice Age the region has undergone sustained isostatic rebound as the weight of ice sheets was removed, causing shorelines to rise and new land to appear. Scientific study in the 19th and 20th centuries documented these processes and the area has been recognised for its value to earth science research.

The High Coast lies on Sweden’s Gulf of Bothnia coast in northern Scandinavia; the Kvarken Archipelago occupies the adjacent Finnish side of the Gulf. The two components span a maritime landscape of islands, straits and coastal hills between Sweden and Finland.

• Post-glacial uplift: The region has experienced isostatic uplift of almost 300 metres since the last glaciation, producing an exceptionally well-documented record of land emergence and changing coastlines.
• Geomorphological value: Kvarken’s moraine formations and High Coast’s raised shorelines are valuable for studying glacial geomorphology and active coastal evolution.

What to See#

• High Coast (Sweden): The High Coast component on the Swedish side comprises a rugged shoreline, islands and forested coastal terrain formed by glacial and post-glacial processes, illustrating significant isostatic uplift since the last Ice Age.
• Kvarken Archipelago (Finland): The Kvarken Archipelago component in the Gulf of Bothnia features a chain of low islands and shoals with distinctive glacial landforms such as De Geer moraines and rapidly evolving shorelines.

The High Coast is reached from northern Sweden by the E4 highway; from Stockholm it is a long drive north (roughly 500-600 km) on the E4. The nearest regional airports are Örnsköldsvik and Sundsvall-Timrå; from those airports and from towns such as Härnösand or Kramfors you can drive to High Coast visitor points (the High Coast Bridge and viewpoints) and park. Many trails and viewing sites are a short walk from roadside parking or local bus stops.

• For hiking and boat excursions, visit between late May and early September when access to trails and island ferries is best and visitor services are running.
• Use established access points such as Skuleberget viewpoints and the coastal trailheads in the High Coast to start hikes; for Kvarken, take ferries from Vaasa or visit the mainland's designated visitor centers for island permits and maps.
• Escape the busiest viewpoints by taking short island ferry hops or quieter coastal walks away from the main viewpoints-many of the best raised beaches and skerries are reached by small-boat excursions rather than the main lookouts.