A sunny day when the wind is not to hard, you should take the Kosterboat to Nordkoster. It's an island free from cars where you can go on trails and gravel roads, enjoy the silence and dream of past times. Nature ranges from lush forests to plainland and Danish sandy beaches in minature.
On the east side it is easy to find a sheltered bay as the dominant wind direction is from south-west. Even in high season it's easy to find a place where you can be for yourself.
Because the beaches often lie in the shelter of the wind and the shallow water is quickly heated by the sun, the water temperature is often pleasant. Should it blow from the north or east, just cross the other side of the island.
The island still has a number of permanent residents, and that is the main reason why there is a permanent boat connection to the mainland the year round. There are small clusters of low, cozy houses with well-maintained coastal gardens.
The population of the Koster Islands has always lived of fishing. Although the tourism industry has become more important, it is still the sea and especially the shrimp fishery that provides most workplaces all year round. In the fall, lobster fishing dominates.
As you walk from the quay to the east, you pass a few beach houses before entering a gravel road that brings you away from the sea. Turn right where the road divides. After about a kilometer, you reach a small area. From there you can follow the shoreline around the island.
The little bay in the picture above is what meets you first. One kilometer further along is a campsite. It has a few cabins you can rent, but otherwise only tents. Here you live in contact with nature. One can charge the cellphone at a small kiosk, but you have to take your daily "shower" in the sea and cook with propane.
It is not allowed to make fixed installations on the site, and everything must be removed when the season is over. The only exception is what you have been able to create of driftwood.
After passing the campsite, you can either walk through an old forest with crooked trees up to the lighthouse, or continue right ahead to the plains to the north. Enter through a gate that is marked "grazing animals" and continue along the path to the west.
In the lush forest, silence is only interrupted by nature's own sounds.
På den andre siden av skogen kommer du ut i et åpent landskap som enkelte steder minner om en savanne og andre steder ligner på Jæren in Norway.
If you had continued along the beach from the camp you would have been able to enter one of the most beautiful beaches in the west-coast for Sweden.
In the summer you can end your journay with a meal at one of the restaurants in the harbor between the North and South Koster while waiting for the Koster boat to come. Outside the season there are no open dining places.
More excursions: www.turideer.com
The excursion of the week: Boat trip to Nordkoster - sandy beach
Length of the tour: It takes about 1 1/2 hours to go around the island, but you will need more time because you will wish to stop, go exploring or just enjoy nature and views.
Read related articles: Koster south - go to home or www.turideer.com
Getting there: Take the ferry boat from the harbor in Strømstad. Get off at Vestre Harbor in Nordkoster. Please study the overview map on the bridge. There are a number of roads and paths you can follow.
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