Harstena
A red-cottage fishing island in the Gryt archipelago that lived on seal hunting into the twentieth century.
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Harstena lies well out in the Gryt archipelago and was inhabited from the sixteenth century by families who fished and hunted seal - the seal hunts ran into the twentieth century and are the thing the island's museum records. The village is a cluster of red cottages and boat sheds round a small harbour, with fields and juniper heath behind and bare rock at the edges. There are no cars. A few people live here permanently, more in summer, and there is a shop and a cafe in season. Paths cross the island to the outer shores. Boats run from Fyrudden on the mainland, on a schedule that thins outside the summer.
What you actually see
- Red cottages and boat sheds - round a small harbour.
- A seal hunting history - recorded in the island museum.
- Juniper heath and bare rock - the interior and the edges.
- No cars - paths and tracks only.
When to go
June to August, when boats and services run. A full day.
Honest expectations
Boat schedules are limited and weather dependent. Services close outside the short season. There is no shelter if the weather turns. Accommodation is very limited.
Nearby
Fyrudden is the mainland pier; Sankt Anna archipelago is north.
What to pack for Harstena
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
