Gnarpskaten, Naturreservat

On a headland on the northern, barren coast of Hälsingland lies Gnarpskaten nature reserve, where you can walk along the coastal path and look out to sea. Or take a break at the sandy beach at Tosskärssand and have a barbecue. The nature reserve is located on the coast in Nordanstig municipality, 2 kilometers southeast of Sörfjärden and covers 150 hectares. Here, the sea and the wind have created vast shingle fields with clear storm shorelines and a sandy beach with flying sand dunes.

The small lakes are largely surrounded by lush vegetation. In addition to pine and spruce, rowan, alder, silver birch and wych birch grow here. East Tosskärstjärnen, in the northern part of the reserve, is surrounded by marshland with typical wetland plants. For example, water primrose, heather, cloudberry and cranberry.

The Coastal Trail runs through the reserve, from Hårte south of the area to Sörfjärden north of it. The trail then continues into the Vattingsmalarnas nature reserve a few kilometers further north.

Burial cairns from the Iron Age

Gnarpskaten is an area of cultural and historical interest due to its burial cairns from both the Stone and Iron Ages. In the central part of Gnarpskaten there is a large burial cairn from the Stone Age.

Further north, on Tosskär, there are several burial grounds from the Iron Age. The larger burial ground on Tosskär contains around 30 graves consisting of seven large round cairns and around 20 smaller graves and stones.

These cairns lie side by side along an old sea wall. There are similar rows of cairns elsewhere in Gnarpssocken but they are otherwise unusual in Hälsingland.

Animals in Gnarpskaten

Lesser spotted woodpeckers have been observed and some spruces bear traces of three-toed woodpeckers foraging. Many of the birds at Gnarpskaten are typical of this stretch of coastline, including lapwings and ospreys.

Water lilies float in the ponds and many different species of dragonflies and damselflies are found here.