Axmar is the largest continuous archipelago area on the southern Bothnian Sea coast and Gävleborg County’s largest nature reserve, covering about 4,500 hectares. Its flat, stony coast includes islands ranging from 400 hectares to small skerries. The reserve is home to seabirds including eider, velvet scoter, tufted duck and red-breasted merganser, as well as shallow bays and lagoons with underwater plant life.

There are two walking routes described by the reserve. From Axmar Bruk, the “From Trail to Wreck” route runs one kilometre north along the coast. On Kusön, a forest path runs about three kilometres between Badviken and Korshamn, where there are sandy beaches. But the reserve’s current notice says storm-felled trees have not been cleared and that the Kusön routes and the “From Trail to Wreck” path cannot currently be walked. It says clearing may take time, and asks visitors to take care.

Axmar Bruk is a cultural reserve. Its first ironworks was built near the sea in 1671, and the reserve describes 11 underwater sites linked to the ironworks’ history, marked with yellow buoys. Some wrecks can be seen from the surface; others require diving equipment. The reserve says Kusö Kalv’s shallow Västerhamn bay has underwater vegetation and fish that can be seen while snorkelling. Larger boats can enter Korshamn and Österhamn.

The reserve says April to September is its best visiting period, so November is outside that window.