Limöns naturreservat

Limön is an island in the Gulf of Gävle that at its highest point rises just over 20 meters above the Bothnian Sea. The island is characterized by limestone-rich, swampy soils with a lot of shingle. This is a result of the sharp land uplift and the fact that the loose soils consist mainly of limestone and sandstone. The daily boat connections with Gävle and Furuvik during the summer months make the island a popular and well-visited excursion destination. Limön nature reserve is managed by Gävle municipality.

Most of the island is covered by pine forest, most of which is 70-100 years old. The beaches are flat and covered with species such as yellow toadflax, beach creeper, coastal arum, yellow campion, dew fescue and clapper eye thrush, which are typical of the Baltic Sea. Along the shores there is a species- and individual-rich bird fauna with several unusual species such as the black-necked grebe, blackbirds, shoveler, gadwall and barnacle goose.

Fishing villages and unusual flora

The beach at Limöskaten in the north-east of the island is one of the very few places in the country where the limestone of the Bothnian Sea is visible. On the western side of the island there is an old fishing village where the buildings are now used as holiday homes. The houses are located outside the nature reserve. In several places around the old fishing village there are calcareous grasslands with a very unusual flora for the Norrland coast. There are species such as the wood anemone, bloodwort, bride's brew, bride's spurge, harmynta, angular buttercup, king mint, rose maidenhair, thistle and wild linden.

Around the island there are shallow protected water areas with a rich underwater flora of green algae and coralline algae that provide valuable breeding grounds for fish and important foraging and nesting areas for seabirds.

About the Limön nature trail

The trail is about 4.2 kilometers. Along the trail there are viewpoints towards the sea, a number of barbecue areas, shelters, trail markers and information boards. The trail passes both forest and natural environments, beaches, picnic areas and holiday cottage areas.

At Limö café you have access to drinking water and dry toilets, you will also find dry toilets at the bathing areas and at the lighthouse. From Limö café you can choose to walk northeast to Oxharen and the bathing area Tärnviken (Badviken), or south to Scoutviken.

During the summer, you can take a tour boat from Gävle to Limön. It is also possible to book accommodation on the island. See the link to booking a boat and accommodation under more information.

Beaches on Limön

• The Kalkudden bathing area is located next to the Limö boat mooring. There is a barbecue area and an accessible compost toilet.
• The Tärnviken bathing area is located on the northern shore of Limön, about 1.5 kilometers from the Limö boat dock. Here there is a shallow beach consisting of a mixture of stone and sand, a barbecue area, a windbreak and a compost toilet.
• The Scoutviken bathing area is located on the southern shore of Limön, less than a kilometer from the Limö boat mooring. There is a barbecue area and compost heap.