Notholmen, Naturreservat

Notholmen is, as the name suggests, an island, wedged into the bay just outside Mellanfjärden fishing village. It is a beautiful island with several habitats and species typical of the Hälsingekusten coast, as well as some rarer species. You need a boat to get there. The area is located 6 kilometers southeast of Jättendal and covers 45 hectares. Notholmen's woodland consists mainly of pine and spruce, with elements of deciduous trees along the shores. The forest has been allowed to develop at its own pace for a long time, which has given it high natural values.

There are gnarled old pines and traces of a variety of insect species and woodpeckers. The terrain is difficult to access in some places due to large boulders. On the western side of the island, there is relatively easy access along the shoreline, for example to the rest area in Månsvik.

A couple of unusual species for these areas are the herb mushroom, which grows on fallen cones, and the non-green plant pine herb, which is mostly found in older coniferous forest. On the southern headland there is a small shingle field, a cluster of aspens and a wonderful view of the horizon.

Bird life and cultural history

There are many birds in the nature reserve. Both terns and herons thrive here.

In addition to its natural values, the area also has an interesting cultural history. For example, there is a small burial ground on the island with traces from the Iron Age. At Holmhällan, on the western side of the island, you can find traces of a ballast port that once existed there.

Among the windswept pines, you can see the iron rings used to moor the boats. The water still contains ballast stones, such as flint, brought from different parts of the world and dumped by freighters.