Nature areas in Kristinehamn

Nature areas in Kristinehamn
Welcome to the
green outdoors!
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Discover and explore the wonders of
nature in and around Kristinehamn
The Stensta Trail
The Spjutbäck Trail – Varnans bäckdal
This is a long hike in one of the coniferous woods of Värmland
northwest of Kristinehamn.You can either take the wide jogging
track or seek out the small footpath nearby.
Follow the Varnan watercourse and its inflowing stream
Spjutbäcken out into the woods.Today, the trail ends in a beautiful
area where the biotope (habitat) is protected, and is surrounded by
a golf course.There are plans to extend the footpath in the future,
but you can easily cross the golf course and carry on walking in the
woods if you wish.This is probably one of the “greenest” walks in
Kristinehamn.The small side streets and bicycle ways take you past
the old flour mill at the Kärleksforsen waterfall and Haga allotment
area and bring you here, to the gully, with its leafy lush woods full
of birdlife.The path through the biotope area is well-trodden, with
footbridges and planks laid out where necessary. Some parts of
the path are a bit steeper than others.There is trout in the stream,
which also has salmon ladders to help the fish pass upstream.
Stenstalid. These lovely woods are composed of finely stratified
deciduous trees. A lush, leafy place that looks out over Lake Vänern,
this is an environment that is more common in the south of Sweden.
In the spring the place is full of white wood anemones and small birds.
The woods are light and varied, with herbs and grasses growing in the
clearings. From here you can make your way to the Iron Trail and to paths
in the woods in the Hacklehemsberget area, east of the E18 highway.
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Hacklehemsberget. Located just
outside the town is this well-kept
coniferous wood, parts of which have great
natural value. There are 2 km of jogging
tracks and a further 2.5 km of footpaths.
The varied landscape, with deciduous trees,
rocky areas and wetlands, makes walking
here an interesting experience. Mushroom
and berry lovers can find lots of kinds of
mushrooms and berries to pick. Look out
for the witch’s broomstick, in the form of
a ball, at the top of a fir tree close to the
water tower!
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The Strandskogs Walk
A pleasant detour on the way to the Varnumsvik bay or the
Hacklehemsberget hill is to take a walk past the neighbourhood of
Strand.The path is wide and easy to negotiate.
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Strandskogen. The woodland alongside Strand is a recreational
area for the residents of the neighbourhood. It has been managed
for a long time now, and offers a large a variety of walks. There are birch
groves, balmy pine woods, lush leafy areas, small rocky outcrops and
wilder undergrowth in which animals and birds can move without being
undisturbed.
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Järnvägsparken. The park at the railway station is one of
the town’s “green” treasures. It has many large coniferous and
deciduous trees, some of which are exotic, such as the Gingko. Many
species of birds can be seen in the park. Some of them are more unusual
than others, like the Tengmalm’s owl and collared dove. The extensive
flower beds attract butterflies and other pollinating insects in the summer.
The names of these flowers can be found on the information board at
Palle Pernevi’s fountain “Bit för bit” (Bit by bit) in the middle of the park.
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Varnans ravin. The lush woodland in the gully of the Varnan
stream has a very rich bird life where, for example, the Lesser
Spotted Woodpecker thrives. The best views are on and around the bridge
where the path turns, in the northern part of the area.
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Varnans lövskog. The Varnan watercourse meanders here on flat
land, creating a bushy paradise for animals and birds alike. There is a
small path, close to the E18 highway, that leads down to the water. Sneak
down there quietly and see if the kingfisher that was sighted here a few
years ago has come back! There is a lovely area of tall coniferous woods
to the east of the bikeway.
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Varnan’s biotope (habitat). In the gully between the allotments
and the golf course there are about 3 km of footpaths on both
sides of the Varnan stream. The ravine, which is a relatively untouched
area, has many interesting plants and animals. The stream contains trout
and sometimes you can even see beavers. West of the protected biotope
area you can walk through carefully cultivated and varied woods to a small
hill with a flora that requires an environment rich in the mineral hyperite.
Read more about it on the information boards in the area.
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Spjutbäcken. The unusual ostrich fern can be found down by the
water, close to the farm at Spjutbäcken and the old mills. The woods
here have a rich bird life.
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Varnumsvik’s bay and the Iron Trail
The countryside in and around
Kristinehamn is very beautiful and varied,
with everything from dense woodlands,
open farmland, fields and grazing pastures
to hills, watercourses, lakes and beaches.
The areas of natural beauty considered to
be the most valuable are protected in a
number of nature reserves that are easy to
visit. There is much countryside to be seen
and experienced outside of the reserves,
too.
There are several parks and nature areas
in and around the centre of Kristinehamn.
The many green areas make Kristinehamn
a particularly green and verdant town in
the summer. The parks, together with the
long, continuous green areas along our
watercourses, bring nature into the town
centre. Birds, butterflies and other insects
thrive in the greenery of the town. The
trees provide welcome shade on warm
summer days and clean the air; the open
spaces tempt us to come out and play, and
be sociable.
Don’t forget to pack your picnic basket
before setting off on your walk or bicycle
ride!
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The Iron Trail is a 30 km long hiking trail through open landscape
with wonderful views, and is easy to follow. Starting at the Guest
Harbour in Kristinehamn it goes northwards and follows the
coastline of Lake Vänern, passing leafy parks and shores with
areas of reeds rich in birdlife.The view over the Varnumsvik bay is
wonderful, and can be enjoyed even more if you stop for a coffee
break somewhere along the extensive shore meadows in the inner
part of the bay. It is a good place for birdwatchers and families alike
to experience the joys of nature. From here you can then continue
along the more hilly Iron Trial into the woods, towards Älvbron,
Niklasdamm and Bergsjön.
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Towards Kvarnsälven and Hultet
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Sibirien. This is a small oasis, where you walk through areas of
grass and shrubs whilst looking out over Lake Vänern and the
harbour entrance. An unassuming flora that is nevertheless rich in species
has moved into the once bare areas of sand and gravel. Butterflies thrive
here; warbler birds can be heard singing in the reeds and waterside
bushes.
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On the way out towards Kristinehamn’s biggest outdoor
recreational centre you pass by lush riverbanks, old industrial sites
and tall coniferous forests. Once you have passed the residential
areas, the bike way becomes a wide track that is a little rocky and
hilly at times.When you reach the cabin at Hultet simply join the
jogging track for a walk that can vary between 1 and 16 km.You can
also find footpaths and trails that lead all the way up to Bergsjön
and Busshöjden. Don’t miss the lookout spot just south of the E18
highway!
Kvarnsälven. The old mill area around Kristinehamn’s folk lore
museum and the mill pond offer lush environments close to water
that are easily accessible. Here you can see grey wagtails and whitethroated dippers, listen to warblers singing, have coffee at Norrgården and
watch sheep as they graze on the old pastures. The stream is the home of
a number of large trout.
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Marieberg’s Park. The park at Marieberg was planned,
constructed and laid out manually by the patients and their nurses
when the hospital was built in 1883 under the guidance of doctors and
gardeners. The old trees and the avenues are the home of many birds,
insects and bats. Sometimes a spotted nutcracker pays a visit to eat the
seeds of the Swiss pine tree; in the reeds you can both see and hear Great
Reed Warblers sing. The remains of the once impressive orchard are
visible, and make a natural spot for the beautiful flowers that bloom every
spring. Stop off at the café in the art museum, wander around the garden
or simply look out over Lake Vänern from the benches on its shore. The
place known as Galgbacken (Gallows Hill) can be found at the eastern
end of the park. Iron was reloaded in the Galgviken bay up until the1640s.
It was from here the iron was rowed out in small boats to the larger
vessels waiting on Lake Vänern, in the times before the harbour had been
established in the town.
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Kaffeberget. This hill is covered with varied coniferous and
deciduous woodlands that surround a more barren rocky area with
old, knotty pines trees. Careful forestry practice means that this wood
is relatively undisturbed. It has a genuine feeling about it, and has a very
diverse fauna and flora that includes many kinds of mushrooms.
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Hultetskogen. There are lots of long, well-kept paths and jogging
tracks in this wood. Several of them climb up the side of the
Hulthöjden hill, and can be quite steep in places. Ski tracks are prepared in
the winter; in the autumn and winter, berry and mushroom pickers can be
seen in the area, along with wildlife such as elk and great grouse.
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The inner area of Varnumsvik’s bay. Here you can visit the
town farm and the Östervik chapel, have refreshments at one of
the several cafés or take a rest on one of the benches and admire the
panorama view of the bay. Grazing animals walk side by side with geese,
plovers and ruffs on the shoreline or wade out into the silvery water of
the bay on warm days. The pastures are important assembly areas for
birds; good places for observing them are the bridge at the town farm and
the bird watching tower on the western side of the bay. Bird protection
regulations mean that some parts of the bay area have restricted access in
the period1st March - 31st October.
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The woods at Östervik. In the broad-leaved deciduous woods
close to the chapel at Östervik you can walk for several hundreds
of metres in a sea of blue hepatica in the spring. Information boards
alongside the small path in the woods describe the special conditions of
this interesting woodland area.
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Gustavsvik. Stop for a moment and enjoy the view over the bay,
and the earlier manor park with its huge deciduous trees next to
the stables. Go down to the shore meadows and climb up in the bird
watching tower for an even better view.You can begin your walk along the
Iron Trail here: take the road through the avenue of trees and follow the
signs from there.
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The hill fort. One of the stops on the Iron Trail is an ancient hill
fort: a dramatic rocky plateau in the middle of the woods. The
bushes, herbs and mushrooms that are found on and around the hill fort
are typical for the mineral hyperite, which is common in the rocks here.
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Sanna / Vålösundet / Picasso
Here is where you have fantastic views over several waterways
as well as Lake Vänern! Experience nature and culture in varying
forms as you walk along the inlet. Closer to the town there are
small paths that lead out to the lush coastal woodlands of Sanna
and Presterud, rich in birdlife.
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The coastal woods at Sanna. This lush coastal woodland area
has a rich birdlife that includes blackcaps, warblers, nightingales
and robins and is well worth a visit. There are also flowering bushes and
trees, e.g. large hagberry bushes, and a lovely view of the Varnumsvik bay.
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The Presterud woods. An area of mixed natural woodland
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that also has some implanted species. The woods are light and
airy, and have interesting trees such as silver fir, hemlock fir, Swiss pine
and avenues of large beech trees. On the shoreline you can admire the
view over the water visible between large oak trees; in the spring you
can hear birds such as European Reed Warblers, blackcaps, robins and
nightingales singing.
The woods along the road Vålösundsvägen and at
Strandudden. Easy walking terrain. These woods vary in kind,
from areas of natural forest to wetland woods with tall colonnades of
pine trees. There are some well-kept groves of deciduous and broad
leaved trees closer to the bicycle track.
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The Björkvallen Trail
Bicycle ways and footpaths take you up to the jogging tracks in
the Björkvallen outdoor recreational area. Many of the tracks and
paths here are wide and accessible for all. Some of them are used
for mountain biking in the summer and, if there is enough snow, ski
tracks are prepared in the winter.The path that goes over the hill
to Lake Vänern provides a walk of over 10 km.The woods in this
area are full of berries and mushrooms.
Skäringsbol - Utsiktberget. A recreational area that is perfect
for walking in. It has a mixture of cultivated and natural countryside,
with both small and wide footpaths. The old open grazing land and hill
slopes covered with brushy deciduous woods, the floors of which are
a sea of white wood anemones in the spring, give way to rocky pine
woodland at the top of the hill. This is a good place for listening to birds
singing, such as the wood warbler, in the spring and the summer. There are
patches of natural forest to be found where the pines are over 125 years
old. Don’t miss the view from the eastern slope!
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14 A9-skogen. The wooded area of Hörselberget, close to
Utsiktsberget at Björkvallen, is sometimes called the “A9-skogen”.
Once the training grounds of the A9 regiment the woods here, which are
both coniferous and deciduous, have been left untouched and are now in a
natural state. Many paths run through these mature woods, including two
marked jogging tracks that are 3 and 6 km long. The birdlife here includes
several kinds of thrush.
Harbergsrundan – Sättrastugan
The bridleways and small gravel roads at Harberget are perfect
for an easy walk in the woods.You can lengthen your walk by
continuing on for another 4 km, ending up at the Sättrastugan
cabin. In the winter, this is a good place for cross-country skiing and
sledging.
Åsenskogen. This small wooded area is a lovely outdoor
environment. It is a natural coniferous wood dominated by fir trees,
with areas of mixed trees that allow it to support a rich bird life. Open
fields frame the woods very nicely.
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Harberget. The Harberget hill has an open, coniferous wood that
is dominated by pine trees, and is managed using traditional forestry
practice. The path that leads to the Sättrastugan cabin is very pretty.
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Nature areas close to Kristinehamn
A9 skogen. Once the training grounds of the A9 regiment, this
large woodland area south of Jutviken and Björkvallen has many
small gravel roads, paths and ruins of old homesteads. There are vantage
points on the waterfront with great views over Lake Vänern that can be
reached by foot, bicycle and car.
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Hults hamn. A headland with views over Lake Vänern and one of
its shallow bays. It is a good place for observing seabirds, skua, gulls
and waders, especially in the spring. Many of the birds land close to Hult’s
harbour, where they rest before continuing their journey northwards.
Large flocks of black-throated divers, grebes, scoters, velvet scoters and
eiders can be seen here.
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Niklasdamm
Baggerud. A beautiful stretch of shoreline on Lake Vänern, with
a bathing area and camp site. It has a sheltered sandy beach, large
sand dunes and rocky beaches. There is an ancient oak tree close to the
grove of junipers south west of Baggerud. As a place for birdwatching, this
is best in the spring, when the many seabirds, skua, gulls and waders pass
overhead, on their way to more northern latitudes. Great views over Lake
Vänern. Launching ramp for trolling boats.
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Kummelön. The island of Kummelön is probably the most popular
nature reserve in the whole county. It has impressive linden and
oak trees, an abundant spring flora with masses of white wood anemones
and blue hepatica, and a rich bird life. A good stop for bird enthusiasts is
the cabin at the vantage point: it has great views over the Ölmeviken bay,
which is one of the best bird sites in the county. There are many geese and
ducks in this area in the spring when the ice on Lake Vänern melts. Several
species of warblers and woodpeckers arrive in May, and a European sea
eagle or two may even turn up! Sometimes the authorities place bait in
the bay in the wintertime to attract eagles from Lake Vänern.
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Islands in Lake Vänern
Vänern’s archipelago is unique and has a varied flora. Some of the islands
and shores are barren and rocky in nature, whilst others are green and
lush with many kinds of plants and trees. The fauna is characterized by
birds, including the common tern, seagulls, oystercatchers, osprey and European sea eagles. The southbound road out of Kristinehamn provides you
with several opportunities to experience Lake Vänern from the land. Or
you can take a ferry out to one of the islands in the archipelago. Fishing in
the lake is free if you use handheld fishing equipment.
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Saxholmen. Ruins of a medieval fort surrounded by green
vegetation.
Långön. Lovely flat rocks to bathe from; footpaths in unspoiled
countryside.
Alvön. Wooded island with extensive flats rocks to bathe from,
and several footpaths.
Vålön - Kalvön - Sibberön. Three islands connected by
footbridges. A good idea is to take the ferry to Vålön and follow the
marked path (4 km long) to Kalvön and Sibberön.
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Ölme
Dyrön. (Hike: 5.4 km). A relatively new nature reserve at the
southernmost point of the municipality, with a fantastic view over
Lake Vänern. With its 200 hectares of land and the same amount of water,
Dyrön has dramatic shorelines, a rich birdlife and small-scale farms that
can be traced back to the 16th century.You can see osprey and blackthroated divers here, and maybe even a European sea eagle or two if they
happen to be visiting. Some more unusual species can also be observed
here, such as Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, long-tailed tits, marsh tits and
hawfinches.
Hacklehemsberget
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Nötön-Åråsviken. (Hike: 3x5.5 km) The Nötön/Åråsviken nature
reserve lies in the most south easternly part of Värmland. Level
countryside crossed by many winding ridges, the reserve is a mosaic of
different kinds of landscape. The area’s terminal moraines are amongst
the best in Sweden. They were formed around 10,000 years ago, at the
end of the last Ice Age, when the sheet of ice retreated northwards. The
insect fauna here is particularly rich: the Nötö reserve is regarded as
being the prime location for rare insects in the county of Värmland. Many
kinds of butterfly can be found here, including the majestic and colourful
swallowtail. The bittern, coot, pochard, tufted duck, crane, grebe, brown
harrier, osprey and great reed warbler are all species of birds that can be
observed in the wetland areas.
Stora Vilången
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Varnumvikens inre
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Kummelön
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Hultets
fritidsområde
Visman / Vismenslingorna
Kristinehamn
(Hikes: 1.5 and 0.5 km)These two trails follow the Visman stream
at Björneborg. One walk is along the prepared jogging track on
the western side; the other is along a winding woodland path that
takes you through the key biotope area on the eastern side and
back via the bicycle way.There is also a path that runs parallel to
the shoreline of the Vismen lake.
Sättra
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Saxholmen
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The key biotope (habitat) at Visman is a lush deciduous wood. It
has a diverse flora that requires rich soil, such as wild honeysuckle,
hazel, bitter-vetch, willow herbs and dog violet.
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Långön
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Vålön
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A9-skogen
Alvön
The crowns of the trees create a high roof over this green, lush
biotope on the shoreline of the Vismen lake; areas of herbal
vegetation and bushes form airy “rooms” in the woods. Wood avens, wild
raspberry and lady’s mantle are common plants that can be found here.
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18 Kilsvikens inre. (Hike: 1-2 km) The reserve in the inner area of
the Kilsviken bay is well-known for its rich birdlife, and is rated as
a resting area of international importance for wetland birds. The birdlife
is best studied from the observation towers, from which you can see all
kinds of birds ranging from large flocks of ducks, geese and waders to
European sea eagles. Large parts of the reserve are closed to the public in
the period 1st March -15th September, but the footpaths and observation
towers may be used at all times.
Sibberön
Karisäng-spåren
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(Hike: 2.5 km) Karisäng is a popular recreational area with a
network of jogging tracks.
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Björneborg
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Key to the symbols
Blomsterhultmossen
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Karisäng. Lush fir woodland, with some unspoiled, natural areas.
Several small streams make their way across the mossy ground.
Bird site
Hults hamn
Tree flora
View
Kristinehamns’s Guest Harbour
Björneborg
Bathing area
Travel Centre
Älvbron. Älvbron, on the Varnan stream, was originally a small
foundry that made rod iron. The vegetation around Älvbron’s old
iron hammer is now lush; you enter an outdoor “room” of aspen, alder,
birches, bird cherry and dogwood! Stop at the stones and the surging
waterfall and get a feel of bygone times!
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Niklasdamm. There was once a rod iron works on the Varnan
watercourse at Niklasdamm. Today, lying in the vegetation, only ruins
remain of a work place that once produced many tons of iron. The old
English park, north of the pond, is well worth a visit.
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Stora Vilången. A nature reserve. Thick pines trees, several
hundreds of years old, can be found on the islands and headlands
of Lake Vänern. Old gnarly pines in various stages of decomposition
support many rare species of flora and fauna. The island of Rutön has
the oldest and most natural woodland; being close to the town, this
natural woodland is a little gem in countryside that is otherwise used for
agriculture. It also has remains of Stone Age dwellings. The old trail in the
reserve passes through a mosaic of marshes, dry land, cultivated woods
and natural woods. The reserve is suitable for recreation, e.g. fishing and
long distance ice skating, and has several bonfire and barbeques areas.
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Gocko. A stretch of shoreline along Lake Vismen where you can
enjoy the morning sun.
Vismen. A woodland lake where you can enjoy the birdlife and go
fishing. The road along the western shoreline has great views over
the lake. There is a ramp by the car park where boats can be launched
into the water. (Fishing permit is required.)
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Karabykullarna. A group of small hills that are around 145
m above sea level. The bedrock under the hills is composed of
Kristinehamn granite, with parallel intrusions of hyperite that run in a
north-south direction. Hyperite is more resistant to erosion than granite
which, over time, resulted in this line of hills being created. The hills are an
interesting illustration of the geology of Kristinehamn.
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Blomsterhultsmossen. Just south of Björneborg, this fine wetland
area has a peat bog surrounded by a woodland structure that is
unusual in southwest Värmland. The area used to be a domain reserve
dating back to 1937 and was the site of Stone Age dwellings. It is the
habitat of several kinds of fauna, including some rare species of liverwort,
which can only survive in larger areas of undisturbed natural countryside.
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Trolley bike station
Värmlands Säby. (Hike: 5.5 km) Here you can walk in an old landscape
of grazing land with mighty oak trees. This area, which was a part of the
archipelago at one time, has many interesting remnants from both the
Ice Age and the Iron Age. It also has a rich bird life, and is the habitat of
many species of insects and lichens. The Värmlands Säby reserve has a
varied landscape composed of broad-leaved deciduous woods, meadows,
deciduous wetland woods, dry meadows and shore meadows. The very
rich bird life in the reserve includes the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
hawfinch and spotted nutcracker. The broad-leaved deciduous woods are
the home of many endangered species of insects. Close to the reserve is
the enormous Säbyeken oak tree, which has a circumference of approx. 8
metres!
Visnumsåsen. In the valley of the Visman stream, just south
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of Road 26, there are small gravel ridges that are a part of the
Visnumsåsen boulder ridge. Several of them contain Iron Age burial
grounds, a couple of which are accessible from the road. The Pasque
flower (Anemone pulsatilla), which is protected, blooms in April-May in
the dry meadows of Sommersta, the southernmost ridge.
Bäckhammar
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Konsterud. Rent a trolley bike at Konsterud and then pedal
either north towards Degerfors or south towards Gullspång. Be
observant on the way: there’s a good chance of seeing wildlife such as elk,
deer, beaver, grouse and nesting cranes. And, if you’re very lucky, maybe
even a wolf or lynx! There’s a place to rest at Mosstorp and, close by, a
short footpath that leads to the Däveln lake where you can bathe and fish
(fishing permit is necessary).You also pass very close to the Stormossen
peat bog at Mickelsrud, one of the most valuable bogs in Sweden.
Barbeque area
Table
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Baggerud
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Konsterud
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Café
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Kilsvikens inre
Medhamn
Nybble
Café/Food
Bird observation tower
Information
Continuation of The Iron Trail
Konsteruds domänreservat. This is the site of two old domain
reserves. They both have old fir and pine trees in varying degrees
of decomposition, which is beneficial to many rare species of flora and
fauna. Mosses, lichens, mushrooms, insects and a large variety of birds all
thrive here. Many old trees have lots of hanging lichens growing on them.
Although the bad storm in the winter of 2004 resulted in many trees
being blown down, they provide a welcome habitat for many insects and
birds. Please take extra care in these parts of the reserve.
Skagern. (Hike: 2.5 km trail around the Skagern lake). The scenic
Skagern lake has lovely clear water for bathing and lush bays. A part
of the combined hiking and riding trail (“Skagern runt”) that goes around
the lake follows the old pilgrim route to Nidaros in Trondheim, Norway.
Windbreak/cabin for shelter
Toilet
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Parking
Small/uneven/hilly path
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Footpath/bikeway
Nötön-Åråsviken
Road with beautiful scenery
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Trolley bike track
Värmlands säby
Nature area
Dyrön
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© Lantmäteriet
Photographs: Lars-Peter Jansson and Johanna Bengtson
Cover photograph: the County Council’s photograph bank
Text: Johanna Bengtson, Camilla Eriksson & Stefan Johansson
More information of the nature reserves can be found on the
website of the County Administration Board: www.lansstyrelsen.se
Remember the Right of Public Access!
www.naturvardsverket.se
kristinehamn.se