Skallbergsgrottan

Useful Information

Location:	Örnsköldsviks, between Gideå and Bölen. (63.500605, 18.933250)
Open:	No restrictions. [2012]
Fee:	free. [2012]
Classification:	Neotectonic Cave Tectonic cave Fracture Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=230 m.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	Jerry Erixon (2001): Gustav på Skallberget, Örnsköldsviks museum. ISBN 91-86138-56-1 Rabbe Sjöberg (1984): Grottor Nolaskogs och i Skuleskogen, Örnsköldsviks museum. ISBN 91-86138-40-5
Address:	Skallbergsgrottan.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1911	described in the yearbook of the Svenska Turistföreningens (Swedish Tourist Association).

Description

Skallbergsgrottan is a neotektonic cave in granite rock, inside the hill called Skallberg. The granite diapir was formed by a magma intrusion some 1.8 Billion years ago. The rock was eroded to form a flat hill. During the Ice Age the area was covered by a 3.5 km thick glacier, which compressed the rock extremely. After the ice has melted, the pressure has been released in a rather short period of time, causing uplift and expansion, which results in expansion cracks. This cave is such an expansion crack of an impressive size, 230 m long but narrow with 30 m deep drops.

The cave was discovered by Gustav Sjögren who also explored the cave and developed it with wooden ladders. There are numerous drops, so it is not possible to visit the cave without such ladders. With the ladders the cave was open for several years for self-guided visit. The ladders require some surefootedness but are not dangerous.

But as Gustav Sjögren is not able to maintain them any more, the ladders are in a certain state of disrepair. At the moment visit of the cave is possible but difficult. Visitors should take the same care as when visiting a wild cave. The county board is working on renovating the cave.