Explore Vattenriket - your excursion guide

YOUR EXCURSION GUIDE

EXPLORE VATTENRIKET

Welcome to Vattenriket!

riences e p x e in h ic R Rich in fun

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Contents Map of the area Naturum Vattenriket Aosehus Balsberget Hill Degeberga backar Walking Ekenabben Fjällmossen Forsakar Gropahålet Cycling Hercules Håslövs ängar Kanalhuset Karpalundsd ponds Canoeing Lillö and Lillö Castle ruins Linnérundan Trail Sweden’s lowest point Mosslunda Birdwatching Näsby fält Pulken Stork Centre Fishing Sånnarna River Vramsån Åsums ängar Äspet Benefiting nature and people Accessible for all

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Discover

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Vattenriket’s visitor sites Enjoy unforgettable experiences all year round in Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve.

Start at the naturum visitor centre.

The exhibitions, activities and information there are your gateway to Vattenriket’s visitor sites, observation towers, boardwalks and outdoor museums, many of them with wheelchair access.

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Our visitor sites

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Naturum Vattenriket................................

Aosehus.........................................................

Balsberget Hill............................................

Degeberga backar...................................

Ekenabben...................................................

Fjällmossen..................................................

Forsakar.........................................................

Gropahålet...................................................

Hercules.........................................................

Håslövs ängar.............................................

Kanalhuset....................................................

Karpalund ponds.......................................

Lillö and Lillö Castle ruins.....................

Sweden’s lowest point............................

Mosslunda....................................................

Näsby fält......................................................

Pulken.............................................................

Stork Centre................................................

Sånnarna.......................................................

River Vramsån............................................. Åsums ängar................................................ Äspet...............................................................

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Point of interest

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Naturum Vattenriket

In the heart of Kristianstad, at the heart of Vattenriket

Like a nest in the reeds beside the River Helge å just a stone’s throw from the railway station, stands the naturum Vattenriket visitor centre, with displays, fun activities and a café.

Kingfisher

A bridge leads across the river to the naturum, past reeds and rushes full of life and birdsong. In summer purple loosestrife and fen ragwort bloom here.

Inside, below the fan-shaped timbers of the high ceiling, a panoramic view of the surroundings awaits.

Light filtering between the beams of the façade and the pillars in the room creates the sensation of nestling in a clump of reeds at the water’s edge.

Here, hidden by the reeds, you may spot goldeneyes courting in early spring, a heron lifting from the water, geese seeking a place to nest – and maybe even a kingfisher darting by, or otter hunting for fish.

Take a trip in the Opteryx The exhibits describe Vattenriket’s varied flora and fauna. Perch, white bream and rudd swim in the aquarium, along with more fishes on the adjacent screen. In the ‘Forsakar Brook’ you can meet some of our tiniest residents: a caddis fly carrying its home around its body, a tiny side-swimming amphipod.

Elsewhere you can acquaint yourself with Vattenriket’s many birds.

The Cosy Corner is rarely empty. Here you can sit and read in peace and quiet. But don’t miss the Opteryx, waiting in the centre of the room to take you on a magical tour above and below the surface of the water – a unique experience, full of surprises and amazing nature.

INSIDER TIP S

• Free admis

Otter 6

sion.

• Take an trip in Opteryx.

• Coffee, cake s and great views.

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Explore Vattenriket The naturum visitor centre is the showcase for Vattenriket and your gateway to the wetlands. Exhibits explain how the biosphere reserve works and give you a taste of what awaits outside. Well-informed nature interpreters help you to discover our 22 visitor sites, where you will find more information, marked trails and observation towers.

Varied and engaging programme The naturum’s programme of activities is posted on our website and includes many different events all year round – from traditional nature rambles to boardwalk safaris, qigong, outdoor concerts and fun and games for all the family.

Restaurant One floor up, the restaurant serves snacks and meals using locally produced seasonal ingredients. On the rooftop terrace, you can eat your own packed lunch at the picnic tables and enjoy uninterrupted views over the city, the river and the seasonally flooded grasslands.

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Netting from the jetty

See the aquarium fish

Explore in the Opteryx

Årummet outdoor museum A boardwalk leads from the naturum through dense reeds to the Årummet outdoor museum – a true wilderness sensation close to the plants and animals of the wetlands. The hide in the reeds is a great spot for observing the birds around the naturum pond.

Årummet

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HOW TO GET HERE

Address: Naturumsvägen 2, Kristianstad. naturum Vattenriket

Tivoliparken

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On foot/by bicycle: From the train station turn south towards Tivoli Park. Cross the bridge over the River Helge å and you are almost there.

By train/bus: Naturum Vattenriket is 400 metres west of Kristianstad railway station.

By car: Exit the E22 at the Vilan interchange. Follow signs for University (Högskolan) almost 1 km, then turn right at the roundabout towards the naturum.

Read more, see a film, listen to our audioguides: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/naturum

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Aosehus

Where the river meets the sea in Åhus In the 1100s a castle, Aosehus (‘the building by the river mouth’), was built where the River Helge å meets the sea.

This was a key location for trade and defence.

Taxes were levied on all who sailed the river.

Today Åhus is the gateway to Vattenriket for those arriving by boat.

Åhus is where Vattenriket begins and ends. Here, where the River Helge å ends its long journey to the sea, is the gateway to the biosphere reserve for those arriving by boat.

In the Middle Ages Åhus was an important port.

Ships from near and far unloaded salt, spices and ale for the Maria Magdalena market or for transport further inland.

The castle at the river mouth For a long time the estuary was the only port on this stretch of coast. Whoever had control of Aosehus Castle – built first in stone, later in brick – also controlled the busy shipping on the river. Vessels loaded and unloaded here, farmers and seamen bargained.

From the 1650s trade to Kristianstad went via Åhus. The arrival of the railway in 1886 saw the port prosper. The navigable channel was made broader and deeper. By the 1960s heating oil had become the major import. Today grain, spirits and chemicals are shipped from Åhus.

The ruins of Aosehus remain but the cargo ships are outnumbered by pleasure boats. In summer the quayside cafés and restaurants are bustling with holidaymakers.

An artist’s impression of Aosehus in the 1400s. Today the harbour is filled with boats and visitors in summer.

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INSIDER TIP S

• Visit the ca

stle ruins.

• Stroll along the quayside, look at the b oats and buy an ice-cream.

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By bus: Regional bus to Åhus and the Järnvägsgatan bus stop.

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By car: Follow the railway towards the harbour. Follow signs to Skeppsbron and then to the car park on the left-hand side of Stavgatan. There are information signs on the quayside. The ruins of Aosehus Castle are 100 metres north-east.

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For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/aosehus

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Balsberget hill

Panoramic views, cave and beech forest Balsberget Hill, the second highest point in Vattenriket, offers stunning views and caves to explore. Here the beech forest welcomes spring with a riot of fresh green foliage and the autumn air is heavy with the scents of fallen leaves and fungi.

From Balsberget Hill, 97 metres above sea level, huge vistas open up over Lake Råbelövssjön and Kristianstad Plain all the way to Stenshuvud cliffs.

A few ancient oak trees live a harsh existence among the rocks and rifts. Dead trunks provide a home for many insects. In the damper, leafier forest below the rocky peak tall beeches rise to the sky like pillars.

Different seasons, different sensations From the delicate pea-green shades of spring’s new leaves to the rich red and brown palette of autumn, Balsberget is a rewarding destination all year round.

Fungi, including unusual and beautiful species as well as edible mushrooms, thrive in the nutrient rich soils.

Here, where the chalk bedrock of the plain meets the Archean rocks to the north, is one of Skåne’s most extensive cave systems with more than 200 metres of chambers and passageways. The largest chamber is 35 metres long and 5 metres high. In summer you can borrow a key to enter. In winter bats hibernate in the cave.

There are roe deer, fallow deer and wild boar in the forest, as well as honey buzzards, several species of woodpecker, wood warblers and hawfinch.

Coral tooth fungus

Fill your mushroom basket!

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INSIDER TIP S

• Borrow a ke y to the cave from Råbelöv Farm (Tel. 044 754 40) • The cave is called the ‘Por k Hole’ because locals hid food there w hen Sweden and Denmark were at war.

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Picnic on the summit and enjoy the view.

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By bus: Regional bus 544 to Fjälkestad Church bus stop, approx. 1.5 km from Balsberget car park.

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By car: Drive north from Kristianstad towards Arkelstorp. Turn off to Fjälkestad after just over 1 km. Just south of Fjälkestad turn right to Balsberget. Follow the road to the car park at the edge of the wood.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/balsberget

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Degeberga backar Rolling green pastures

The rolling hills behind Degeberga village were shaped long ago by Ice Age glaciers. Today the slopes, perfumed with the scents of thyme and sand pink, are used for pasture.

Wild thyme

You may spot a sand lizard basking in the sun

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The gently rolling landscape around Degeberga was formed thousands of years ago by gravel and sand left by the melting continental ice. Gigantic blocks of ice broke off leaving huge boulders in the depressions. A walk up Söndreklack Hill is rewarded with spectacular views over this enchanting setting.

Some like it hot!

The sunny slopes of the gently rounded hills with their patches of sand and sparse vegetation provide some of Sweden’s warmest habitats, a home for several species that thrive in the pasture’s dry chalky soils.

Wild thyme hugs the ground to escape the rough tongues of the cattle. Other plants, like the fragrant sand pink, need the cows to graze the land and disturb the dry soil so they can colonise patches of exposed sand.

Solitary bees and predatory wasps nest in the warm sand. Dung beetles galore, not least the rare horned dung beetle, busy themselves among the cowpats. An emerald green sand lizard basks in the sun on a stone wall.

The lower path follows the meandering course of the Forsakar brook. If you’re fortunate, you may see a kingfisher dart by.

INSIDER TIP S

• Grazing cow s. Keep dogs leashed.

• Scenes for ‘The Brothers Lionheart’ film wer e shot here.

• Stoop to bre athe in the fragrance of wild thyme an d sand pink.

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DEGEBERGA

HOW TO GET HERE

On foot: Access from various parts of Degeberga village. The paths link up in the south with those around Forsakar.

By bus: SkåneExpressen 3 and 4 to Skaddevägen or School bus stop.

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By car: Drive south from Kristianstad towards Simrishamn on the E22 and road 19. Descending the hill in Degeberga, turn right into Stenhällevägen and take the first left into the car park.

Forsakar

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/degeberga

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Walking

Explore Vattenriket on foot Vattenriket trails take you through leafy forests, over seasonally flooded grasslands and along white sandy beaches. At the visitor sites you can rest, picnic, watch birds and learn more about our local history, flora and fauna in delightful natural surroundings.

Linnérundan Trail (6 km) Seasonally flooded grasslands, reeds and rushes are just a stone’s throw from the naturum Vattenriket and the city. Take binoculars to look for eagles and geese in winter, curlew, lapwing and snipe in spring.

Lillö Castle ruins halfway along the trail are an ideal picnic spot.

Tivoli Round Walk (1.8 km) Walk through willow thickets on the west bank of the River Helge å and a lush park on the east. Purple loosestrife and rare fen ragwort bloom by the water’s edge. Don’t miss the path to the Årummet outdoor museum south of naturum.

Näsby fält (various paths) At Näsby fält paths of varying length wind through leafy forests, over lush pastures and wetlands close to the city. Boardwalks cross the damp meadows and platforms look out over Lake Araslövssjön.

Ekenabben (0.8 km) 100 years ago people flocked to the dance pavilion at Ekenabben. Today the main attractions are the alder carrs and century-old oaks, all accessible for wheelchair users and children’s buggies. Water violet and yellow iris flower in the pools of water here in spring.

Sånnastigen (2.5 km) Sånnastigen is our very own version of the pampas. Sand pink and wild thyme perfume the air. Sheep’s sorrel, viper’s bugloss and dwarf everlast carpet the ground.

Degeberga backar – Forsakar (4.5 km) A walk through fairytale scenery. Rolling hills, musty forests, magical waterfalls. Is that the sound of the water sprite’s violin you hear amid the splash of the waterfall? Äspet (various paths) Various paths criss-cross the shady forest and follow the sandy shore by the glistening sea.

Skåneleden Trail SL6 (150 km) Hike through Vattenriket from the forests in the north past Lake Råbelövssjön and Balsberget Hill to Lake Araslövssjön.

Follow the River Helge å to the naturum visitor centre in Kristianstad. Then to Lake Hammarsjön and Ekenabben, across the plain to the visitor sites at Hercules, Aosehus, Gropahålet and the beaches of Hanöbukten Bay.

Maps are available at the naturum and on our homepage: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/vandra 17

Ekenabben

Lake, oaks and alder carrs This fascinating wet forest with its alders and mighty oaks is now a tranquil lakeside setting, but 100 years ago this was the site of Kristianstad’s most popular dance pavilion.

Lesser spotted woodpecker

From the naturum a path for pedestrians and cyclists follows the River Helge å and Lake Hammarsjön four kilometres south to a leafy low promontory, where ancient oaks stand proudly by the lakeside.

For the first half of the 20th century Ekenabben was a popular entertainment venue. Elderly Kristianstad residents can recall dancing here as stars such as Zarah Leander and Edvard Persson sang on the open-air stage.

Today only the steps of the dance pavilion remain, together with the red cedars that once flanked them. Instead visitors come here to enjoy the peace and varied nature.

Enjoy the birds’ open-air concert The morning air is filled with birdsong in early spring. Nightingales, wrens and blackcaps sing, while the woodpecker beats time with its drum rolls.

The fishing jetty is the ideal place for a summer morning coffee break, and there is a barbecue site by the lakeside. Follow the path past centuries-old oaks to the observation tower with fine views over the seasonally flooded grasslands and reed beds.

A boardwalk through the wild wet alder forest brings you close to woodpeckers, water violets, bracket fungi and insects. Despite the primeval atmosphere, the forest here has been created by humans. The earth used to build the Hammarlund Embankment was taken from here, leaving waterlogged pits that were soon populated with alder trees.

Boardwalk, jetty and picnic site are all wheelchair-accessible.

Ekenabben dance pavilion in the early 1900s 18

The jetty is perfect for a picnic

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On foot/by bicycle from Kristianstad: Take the cycle path along the River Helge å and Hammarslund Embankment south to Ekenabben. ind Otto L s väg enow

By bus: City bus 1 to Hammarspyntsvägen bus stop. Then walk 1 km.

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HOW TO GET HERE

Address: Ekenabben, Hammarslundsvägen 60.

By car: Drive east from Kristianstad along Blekingevägen then Fundationsvägen and Otto Lindenows väg. Where Otto Lindenows väg meets Hammarslundsvägen, turn right and immediately afterwards left over the railway by the ‘Ekenabben’ sign.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/ekenabben

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Fjällmossen

A hint of the high fells in the heart of Skåne The silence, wide open spaces, and cloudberries and sundews sprinkled over Fjällmossen evoke the wilderness feel of the far north in Sweden’s most southerly bogland.

The landscape at Fjällmossen – heathland, groves of trees and natural pasture dotted with junipers – resembles that of northern Sweden. Here, where the River Mjöån has its headwaters, you may spot elk, red deer or roe deer.

In early summer lousewort, arnica and orchids bloom in the damper pasture. In autumn the landscape is carpeted purple with heather. Cloudberries, crowberries and cranberries grow in the bog.

In spring the scene is set for the trumpeting of cranes and the curlew’s mesmerising courtship display.

Green woodpeckers call from the old grazing lands and the yellowhammer sings its unmistakable song.

In winter golden eagles, buzzards and shrikes patrol the skies.

Peat for straw and warmth There is little sign of human activity. In contrast to many other raised bogs, peat here has only ever been cut by local farmers to use for heating and as bedding for their livestock. Traces of peat pits and machinery can still be found in the area.

Cloudberry

INSIDER TIP S

Golden eagles, buzzards and shrikes patrol the skies.

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• Good shoe s are essentia l well into spring. Sn ow lingers on Fjällmossen’s paths.

• Dress warm . The air is dam p and cool on Fj ällmossen.

Brännestadsvägen

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HOW TO GET HERE

On foot: The Skåne Trail crosses Fjällmossen. There are picnic tables along the trail and by the observation tower.

By car: From Kristianstad drive to Huaröd by first taking the E22 towards Malmö, then road 19 to Everöd and then west along Huarödsvägen to Östra Sönnarslöv and Huaröd. From Huaröd continue west to Killhult. After 2 km, turn left into Brännestadsvägen. From here there are signs to Fjällmossen.

FJÄLLMOSSEN 6

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/fjallmossen Bird sanctuary 0

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Forsakar

Waterfall, beech forest and deep ravine Forsakar’s magical surroundings, the deep ravine, waterfall and beech forest, are sure to fire your imagination.

What’s that hiding down there? A water sprite, maybe? Or a forest nymph?

The best way to experience Forsakar – once believed by superstitious locals to be the work of giants – is to follow the upper path through the majestic beech forest along the rim of the 40-metre-deep ravine.

Yellow archangel, ferns and mosses cling to the steep sides, and wild anemones and golden saxifrage bloom here in spring.

Stunning view from the platform After a while you reach a platform with a good view over Skåne’s highest natural waterfall. The 7.4 metre upper fall (‘fors’ in Swedish) is separated from the 10.6 metre lower fall by a basin-shaped ledge (‘kar’ in Swedish) which is the origin of the name Forsakar.

The trees here are home to many insects, and rare blue ground beetles live under the bark of dead wood. The forest is populated by songbirds and woodpeckers, and grey wagtail, white-throated dipper, kingfisher and heron hunt for food in the stream.

Forsakar abounds with stories of mythical creatures – the fiddle-playing sprite of the waters and forest nymphs who lure unwary young men to their doom.

Who knows who you will encounter by the waterfall?

Golden saxifrage

White-throated dipper 22

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INSIDER TIPS

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Bollplan

HOW TO GET HERE

On foot: Forsakar is 2 km west of Degeberga village centre. In the north the path connects with those on Degeberga backar.

By bus: SkåneExpressen 3 and 4 to Degeberga School bus stop. From there it is 1.3 km to the Forsakar car park.

By car: Forsakar is signposted from road 19 through Degeberga. Turn in to Forsakarsvägen and follow the road to the car park at Forsakarsgården.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/forsakar

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Gropahålet

Pines, thyme and seaweed Bumble bees buzz around cushions of wild thyme. Grey-hair grass grows in zig-zags.

Children play among the endless, billowing sand dunes, beyond which the River Helge å meets the open sea.

Wild thyme

Gropahålet nature reserve is just north of the mouth of the River Helge å, on sand dunes that extend 25 km south from Åhus to Juleboda.

Long ago vast oak forests came right down to the sea, but the trees were felled to provide timber and farmland. By the 1700s the coast was almost treeless and sand blown inland from the beaches impoverished the soils.

Farmers then planted stands of pine to bind the sand, but some of these have grown so dense that the sandy patches essential to create a mosaic of habitats and high natural values have become a rarity.

Wild thyme and sand pink perfume the air Recently some pines have been felled to allow species that thrive in the exposed patches of sand to return. Now wild thyme and sand pink scent the air, and pasque flower and dwarf everlast grow here and there.

A path leads from the car park to the shore over sand dunes towering up to 20 metres high. In summer this is a popular bathing place. A short walk south takes you to the mouth of the River Helge å.

Until 1775 the river’s only outlet was in Åhus. Then the farmers of Yngsjö dug a great ditch to drain their fields and when the next spring flood filled the ditch, the river cut a new channel to the sea at Gropahålet. This is now the river’s main outlet.

INSIDER TIPS • Run through the sand dunes and swim in the sea.

Sand pink

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• Dogs are allowed in the sea here.

• Keep a look-out for the rare tawny pipit.

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HOW TO GET HERE

By bus: Regional bus 551 to Furuboda (Kaptenens väg bus stop). From there it is a 2.3 km walk to the Gropahålet car park.

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By car: Drive south from Kristianstad on road 118, through Åhus and on to Yngsjö.

Turn left into Yngsjö village on Gamla byvägen. Turn left into Torgasträdet. Continue past Kastanjelund and take the next right. Follow the road that runs parallel to the coast for approx. 1.7 km and turn left by the sign for ‘Naturreservat’. The road leads to a car park in the nature reserve.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/gropahalet

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Cycling

Explore the countryside on two wheels Pack a picnic, put on your cycling helmet and set off along old rail tracks, unpaved roads and dedicated cycle paths. Make a full-day excursion to Lake Råbelövssjön, the beach at Äspet, the lush green slopes of Linderödsåsen Ridge – or, for a bigger adventure explore the 80-kilometre ‘Vattenriket Circuit’.

The Vattenriket Circuit (80 km) Explore Vattenriket’s varied landscapes and visitor sites. Start at the naturum and follow the eastern shore of Lake Hammarsjön to Åhus, past the white sands and eel huts of Hanöbukten Bay as far as Maglehem. Then head north to Degeberga, Gärds Köpinge and the River Vramsån.

Be sure to take binoculars and bathing gear with you.

Råbelövssjön round trip (22 km) A car-free cycle trip along the old railway embankment that leads north to the eastern shore of Lake Råbelövssjön and the bathing sites at Balsby and Österslöv.

Then on through orchards and pastures to idyllic Ekestad, with the beech forest of Balsberget Hill on one side and the sparkling lake on the other.

Torsebro and Nävlingeåsen Ridge (53 km) Cycle north to Näsby, stopping to explore Näsby fält and Norra Lingenäset. Then head for Torsebro, where you can picnic in the grounds of the old gunpowder factory. Continue past Norra Strö to Önnestad and the majestic beech forests on Nävlingeåsen Ridge.

Linderödsåsen’s forests (58 km) This trip follows the railway embankment west to Ovesholm and continues on country roads to Träne, Djurröd and Rickarum.

From Äsphult the road winds through leafy forests to Linderöd, where it re-joins the railway embankment that leads downhill to Sätaröd and then on to Tollarp and Kristianstad.

South-East Cycling Trail (260 km) This is Sweden’s second national cycling trail, extending 260 km south from Växjö to Simrishamn. Marked with the Swedish Transport Administration’s red cycle trail signs, it passes through Fjälkinge and Kristianstad and leads to the coast at Åhus. In Friseboda it follows the shoreline before turning inland and uphill to Maglehem and then on towards Simrishamn.

Maps are available at the naturum and on our homepage: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/cykla/

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Hercules

A rich mosaic of habitats Meadows, dense willow thickets, extensive reed beds, ponds teeming with life. A landscape formed by agriculture – and the Hercules brickworks that has given the site its name.

Black tern

From the car park a 3.2 km round walk winds through thickets of willows and across meadows dotted with flowers. Greater yellow-rattle, devil’s bit and ragged robin bear witness that these hayfields – home to nesting yellow wagtail, redshank and snipe – have been traditionally farmed for generations.

Roughly halfway around the walk is a bird-watching tower and an outdoor museum with information about the farmlands, the old brick factory and its legacy of natural values. The tower offers fine views over Lake Hammarsjön’s reed beds and the meadows. The greenery, water and birdsong make this place this balsam for the soul.

A realm of dragonflies, storks and black terns In spring the foghorn call of the great bittern booms, and marsh harriers sail above the reeds in search of food. In addition to regular visitors such as reed warblers, sedge warblers and bearded reedlings, you may spot a rare Savi’s warbler. In summer osprey patrol the shallow waters of the inlet here.

From the outdoor museum the path follows an embankment between ponds in pits once dug to supply clay to the old brickworks, now teeming with insects, fish and birds.

Dragonflies dance above the water. Black terns and swallows hunt insects and small fish. Greylag geese, great crested grebes and coots nest by the water’s edge. From the ponds the path leads back to the car park.

GOOD TO KNOW • Pleasant walk to the outdoor museum.

Storks have been spotted here.

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• Grazing cows. Keep dogs leashed.

• No fishing in the ponds.

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Hercules outdoor museum explains how human activity has formed the area.

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HOW TO GET HERE Fribete

On foot/by bicycle: Hercules is on the Kristianstad–Åhus cycle path, just south of Viby.

By bus: City bus 1 to Viby (Brushanevägen bus stop). The Hercules car park is 700 metres away.

By car: Take road 118 from Kristianstad towards Åhus. Just north of the bridge over the railway in Rinkaby, turn right to Viby on Byholmsvägen. Where the road veers sharp right, turn left following the sign to Hercules. Turn left again after crossing the railway.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/hercules

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Håslövs ängar

Pasture and haymaking attract many birds Håslövs ängar is the best place to observe Vattenriket’s wading birds. In spring curlew, common snipe and lapwing perform courtship displays over the meadows.

ows Gaze out over the mead

Håslövs ängar, a peninsula in Lake Hammarsjön, is one of Sweden’s largest and most valuable inland expanses of seasonally flooded grasslands. Here are broad vistas and open landscape as far as the eye can see.

The nutrient-rich waters that flood the area in winter, the grazed grass and haymaking combine to create an eldorado for wading birds.

Birdwatcher’s paradise The platform and observation tower are excellent vantage points for observing the birds’ nesting behaviour. When marsh-marigold and cuckooflower are in bloom the grasslands are full of life. Fledgling lapwings totter through the grass and the curlew’s bubbling song fills the air.

If you’re in luck you may spot a black-tailed godwit in hectic flight high in the sky and hear its shrill call.

Larks sing overhead. Yellow wagtails decorate the fence posts. Shovellers, teal, wigeon and garganey gather by the water’s edge. Osprey hover above the surface in search of fish.

Spring may be the high point, but Håslövs ängar has much to offer all year round. In early summer ox-eye daisies, ragged robin and yellow-rattle make every visit a delight. In autumn migrating birds rest here, and in winter geese, ducks and white-tailed eagles are regular guests.

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The black-tailed godwit is Kristianstad’s official ‘municipal bird’.

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• A trail from the car park le ads over the grass lands.

Eurasian curlew VIBY

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HOW TO GET HERE

Address: Håslövs ängar, Brudastensvägen 50.

By bicycle: Take the Kristianstad–Åhus cycle path. In Viby follow signs to Håslövs ängar. (See description for car).

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By car: Take road 118 south from Kristianstad towards Åhus. Just north of the bridge over the railway in Rinkaby, turn right on Byholmsvägen towards Viby. In Viby, where the road veers sharp right, turn left towards Håslövs ängar. After the railway crossing, turn right towards Håslövs ängar.

Follow Kvarnnäsvägen for 700 metres, then turn left into Brudastensvägen that leads to the car park.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/haslovs-angar

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Kanalhuset

A world of willows and reeds The Kanalhuset outdoor museum, the site where the city once got its drinking water, is the gateway to a wild wetland landscape of reeds and tangled willows.

Once the place where Kristianstad’s residents took drinking water from the River Helge å, today Kanalhuset is a Vattenriket visitor site with an outdoor museum and birdwatching tower.

When Kristianstad celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2014 an exhibition opened here charting the story of the city’s relationship with water and of life above and below the surface – of marsh harriers, catfish, otters and more besides.

Watch the birds and catch the fish The water is open all year round where the canal meets the river. Kingfisher, goosander and geese gather here to make the observation tower an exciting place to be on a winter’s day.

The jetty is ideal for fishing or enjoying a picnic, and a boardwalk leads into the wetlands – a six-kilometre round walk (the Linnérundan Trail) over Isternäset to Lillö castle ruins and back to the naturum Vattenriket visitor centre.

Isternäset’s seasonally flooded grasslands look much the same today as they did when the famous Swedish naturalist, Carl Linneaus, first saw them in 1749.

Get close to the river INSIDER TIP S

Kingfisher

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• Net and fis h from the Kanalhuset je tty.

• Kanalhuset is a good spot for launching cano es.

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Address: Kanalhuset outdoor museum, Norra Kanalgatan 1.

On foot/by bicycle: Follow the Linnérundan Trail north from Tivoli Park along the east bank of the river.

By train and bus: Kanalhuset is a 650metre stroll from the railway station.

By car: Cross the railway immediately south of the station and follow signs to Kanalhuset until you reach the car park beside the river.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/kanalhuset

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Karpalund ponds

A hide brings you close to life in the reeds Enjoy close-up views of birds, plants and dragonflies from the hide. Or climb the observation platform for a grandstand view of the rich birdlife around the ponds.

tching Good birdwa

The ponds at Karpalund, now half-hidden among willows and thickets of elder, were once dug by hand to hold wastewater from the beets washed at the old sugar mill.

When the factory closed in 1991 the ponds became valuable wetland refuges. Today information signs describe the history of the site and the natural values that can be enjoyed from the hide and observation platform.

A path from the car park leads to the ponds, and a boardwalk flanked by bulrushes, reeds and willows continues to the hide.

A view from above Once in the hide you can peer out over coots, swans and grebes. Swallows dive among the rushes to hunt for food. Maybe you will spot a reed warbler or sedge warbler swaying on a tall reed.

Dragonflies flit above the water and with a little luck you may see bearded reedlings or penduline tits that nest near the ponds. In spring harriers hunt above the reeds and a goldfinch shakes the water from his feathers after a refreshing dip. They can’t see us in the hide, but we are so close we can almost touch them.

The platform gives you another perspective – a broad vista far beyond the busy birdlife by the ponds, across the fields to distant Lake Araslövssjön.

INSIDER TIP S

This is ideal dragonfly country.

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• The hide bri ngs you close while remaini ng unseen.

• A good pla ce to see dragonflies.

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By bus: Regional bus 549 to Vinnö Gyllingvägen bus stop, a 500-metre walk from the Karpalundsdammarna car park.

By car: From Kristianstad take road 19 towards Osby/Broby. At Vinnö, turn right into Gyllingvägen towards Karpalundsdammarna. A path leads from the car park to the hide.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/karpalundsdammarna

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Canoeing

Experience Vattenriket from the water Few outdoor activities are as restful as canoeing through beautiful natural surroundings, slowly gliding past the River Helge å’s reed beds, wet forests and seasonally flooded grasslands.

Grasslands and city views around Blackan island (8km) A canoe trip around Blackan island in the River Helge å takes you from the city to the seasonally flooded grasslands. The route goes north from the city to Lake Araslövssjön (maybe including a little detour to Franckes udde by Näsby Farm) and then back via Lillö. There is a visitor site at Lillö with information, a picnic area and toilet.

From the city to Ekenabben (5 km) Ekenabben is a fun place to explore.

Canoe south from central Kristianstad and follow the eastern shoreline of Lake Hammarsjön parallel with the embankment to the sheltered inlet at Ekenabben.

Ekenabben has a fishing jetty, boardwalk, barbecue site, observation tower and toilets.

The river meets the sea (15 km) Canoe down the River Helge å’s main channel, from Kavrö Bridge just south of Lake Hammarsjön past reeds, willow thickets, wetlands and the pasture on the seasonally flooded grasslands to the south bank of Gropahålet at Yngsjö or Martins Rökeri smokehouse.

The old river channel (20 km) The river’s original course meanders through farmland. Canoe south from Kavrö Bridge taking the Härnestadsgraften channel to Pulken nature reserve (outdoor museum and toilet). Continue to Åhus and the Aosehus visitor site, close to the guest marina where there is a boat ramp.

Sea kayaking between Åhus and Gropahålet (8–11 km) Experienced kayakers can follow the shoreline between Gropahålet and Åhus.

Always pay careful attention to the wind direction and currents in the open sea.

Between 15 March and 30 September the bird sanctuary in Äspet nature reserve is strictly off limits, so you must pass by outside the outer skerries or beach your kayak at Snickarhaken.

Maps are available at the naturum and on our homepage: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/paddla

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Lillö

The castle in the wetlands 400 years ago Lillö was an imposing white fortress five-storeys high. Today, inside this fascinating ruin on the Linnérundan Trail, sound, light and exhibits bring the Middle Ages back to life.

Lillö in the 1600s

Standing at Lillö, gazing out over the surrounding wetlands is like looking back into history. Centuries of grazing and haymaking have created a living cultural landscape rich in flora and birdlife.

The river that flows so gently in summer floods low-lying Isternäset in winter. In late spring courting waders fly over the seasonally flooded grasslands.

In autumn and winter geese rest in the wetlands and white-tailed eagles patrol the river in search of food.

Life at Lillö From the outside the castle no longer impresses.

Inside, however, when your eyes grow accustomed to the shadows of the cellar vault, history comes alive with audio and lighting effects that recreate the sounds and activities of a bygone era.

The first castle at Lillö was built in the 1200s. The wetlands, moat and river provided natural protection.

Since then, however, the castle has burned down, been destroyed and repeatedly rebuilt in the days when its Danish owners fought against their Swedish attackers.

They were troubled times, but everyday life continued nonetheless. The ‘Life at Lillö’ exhibition has copies of some of the artefacts discovered here – objects that tell the story of daily life in bygone times. Lillö Castle was finally destroyed in 1658, when the Danes ceded Skåne to the Swedes.

Borrow a key to the castle from the naturum.

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INSIDER TIP S

• Lillö is just a picnic’s wal k (3 km) from th e naturum.

• There is a je tty at Lillö whe re you can fish or moor a boat.

Lillö, the r seasonally flo iver and oded grassla n

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HOW TO GET HERE

On foot: Lillö lies in the north-western quarter of the Linnérundan Trail.

By bus or train: From Kristianstad Station walk the Linnérundan Trail to Lillö. The round walk is 6 km.

13 Lillö borgruin

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By car: From central Kristianstad drive west on Långebrogatan. After the second roundabout follow the sign pointing right to ‘Lillöområdet’. Follow Lillövägen to the car park. From there it is a 500-metre walk to Lillö castle ruins.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/lillo

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The Linnérundan Trail Seasonally flooded grasslands close to the city

Follow in the 250-yearold footsteps of Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus through willow thickets, past clumps of reeds to seasonally flooded grasslands teeming with birds.

The Linnérundan Trail is named for the Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus, who explored Kristianstad’s wetlands some 250 years ago. Today you can still experience aspects of the same landscape that he saw.

From the naturum Vattenriket visitor centre, cross the bridge to Tivolibadet swimming baths and turn north to the Kanalhuset outdoor museum. In winter you may spot a kingfisher darting by. In summer this is hunting territory for harriers.

Raised wooden boardwalks lead through dense thickets of willow to Isternäset observation tower with panoramic views over the seasonally flooded grasslands. Continue to Lillö and the ruins of a medieval castle. (Keys to the castle may be borrowed from the naturum.) Close by are the farm buildings of Lillö Kungsgård, a nesting place for storks until the 1940s.

Follow the road and turn left by the embankment.

Further on, a mound conceals the remains of Härlövsborg, a wooden stronghold in the Middle Ages and a fortress in the 1600s. Lesser spotted woodpecker nest in the woods around the waterlogged clay pits on the way to the nearby observation tower.

Boardwalks

Good opportunities to see geese.

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HOW TO GET HERE The Linnérundan trail starts at the naturum Vattenriket. See page 9.

Please remember: Boardwalks are slippery when wet. Access to the trail is limited when the river exceeds 1.3 metres above sea level. Current water levels are posted on www.vattenriket.kristianstad.se. Grazing cows mean dogs must be leashed. Access to Isternäset is prohibited during the nesting season (15 March–15 July), but you are welcome to walk on the marked path.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/linne

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Sweden’s lowest point Make it the high point of your day

That Kebnekaise is Sweden’s highest mountain is common knowledge. But did you know that Sweden’s lowest point is in Kristianstad?

Kebnekaise 2097 m above sea level Kristianstad 2,32 m below sea level

A birch grove south-east of the city centre is the lowest point on land in Sweden, 2.32 metres below sea level. Signs explain how the land has been drained and how high the water would be if the Hammarsvallen Embankment had not been built.

When King Christian IV founded Kristianstad in 1614, this area was part of Lake Hammarsjön. It was drained in the 1860s when more agricultural land was needed to feed the city’s rising population.

From lake bed to farmland An English engineer, John Milner, solved the problem by raising an embankment across the inlet at Nosaby and using steam-driven Archimedes’ screws to drain the enclosed area. You can still see one of these 6-metre long screws close to the Ekenabben visitor site.

The original ambition was to drain much of the two lakes, Hammarsjön and Araslövssjön, but the project was abandoned due to lack of funds. Fortunately this means that the lakes still remain to make a valuable contribution to Vattenriket’s diverse natural surroundings.

INSIDER TIPS

The Archimedes’ screw at Ekenabben 42

e Archimedes’ • Take a look at th n, once used screw Ekenabbe er from the to drain lake wat inlet at Nosaby.

Be Monarch of the Deep 2.32 m below sea level.

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HOW TO GET HERE

By bus: City bus 3 to Aqvarellen bus stop and then a 1-km walk to the Lowest Point.

KRISTIANSTAD nevägen Snappha

By car: The Lowest Point is just east of the E22 exit for Kristianstad city centre and Hospital. Follow the brown-and-white sign from the roundabout. Park the car and walk the final 300 metres to Sweden’s lowest point on land.

Filling station

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/lagsta-punkten

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Mosslunda

Orchids bloom where a waste tip was planned Forty years ago there were plans to turn these fine pastures into a municipal rubbish tip.

Thankfully, the planners saw sense, so today we can stroll across the area and marvel at the many orchids that grow here.

ll Ideal for a restful stro

In the past Mosslunda’s damp meadows were used for haymaking and the drier land for pasture. Animals still graze here today, creating a landscape dotted with flowers.

In spring you are met by cascades of white flowers on blackthorn bushes and hawthorn, pink on cherry trees and dog-rose. Later in the year the ground is dotted with pasque flowers, bird’s-eye primroses and orchids – early-purple, green-winged, heath spotted and lesser butterfly orchids.

In summer wild thyme, heather and field scabious decorate the meadows in lilac. Butterflies and other insects feast on the flowers’ nectar. Redshank, curlew and lapwing nest in the damp depressions.

Mosslunda is a mosaic of dry, sandy areas, damp meadows and nutrient rich fens. Leafy forests and bushes provide a home for wryneck and red-backed shrike, while the woodlark sings its melancholy song high above the sandy heath.

From waste tip to wonderland Fortunately, plans in the 1980s to turn this natural wonderland into a waste tip were averted by a lastgasp effort to protect Mosslunda as a conservation area of national interest. It is now a Natura 2000 area and, since 2018, a nature reserve.

The old farmlands have been preserved for posterity as an area of living history. Follow the path to experience the landscape and the flowering pastures for yourself.

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By car: Take the E22 from Kristianstad towards Malmö. Leave the motorway at the Vä exit (36) and turn right by the roundabout. Follow the road south for 3 km.

Almost immediately after the motorway underpass, follow the signs pointing right to ‘Mosslunda-Vä utmark’. After 500 metres you reach the car park.

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Birdwatching Plenty to see all year round

In winter white-tailed eagles patrol the skies above the River Helge å. In spring thousands of cranes rest at Pulken. Soon afterwards the seasonally flooded grasslands are teeming with life. Take your binoculars and head for our visitor sites, several of which have birdwatching towers.

Winter Tens of thousands of geese overwinter in Vattenriket. That’s when the chances are also greatest to see white-tailed eagles at Åsums ängar, Isternäset, Pulken or Kanalhuset. With luck you may spot the bejewelled plumage of a kingfisher at Kanalhuset, by the naturum or at Vramsån.

Look out, too, for white-throated dippers hunting for insects in the fast-flowing waters at Forsakar and Vramsån.

Spring In spring migrating cranes rest at Pulken, and storks and shelducks can also be seen.

Ducks and waders rest at Isternäset, and you can see lapwing, redshank, curlew, yellow wagtail and snipe at Håslövs ängar. The booming call of the great bittern sounds from the reeds at Hercules, and the leafy woods at Norra Lingenäset, Ekenabben and Balsberget echo with the songs of chaffinch, blackbird and blackcap.

Summer Penduline tits nest beside the Linnérundan Trail and at Karpalund ponds. Look out for their mitten-like nests hanging from the end of a branch. At Hercules you may spot the rare black tern. Tawny pipits search for insects at Sånnarna and in the sand dunes at Gropahålet. On quiet evenings you can hear nightingales at Ekenabben and by the naturum. And at Äspet you can see cute little avocet chicks and hosts of wading birds on their way south.

Autumn In autumn migrating birds rest at Håslövs ängar, Åsums ängar and around the lagoon at Äspet. Many geese and ducks choose to stay and spend the winter in large flocks, especially at Isternäset on the Linnérundan Trail.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/skada

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Näsby fält

A carpet of flowers, a symphony of birdsong The year’s first bees buzz among the wood anemones. A drowsy dragonfly flits past.

Blackbirds, chiff-chaffs and blackcaps fill the air with song. It’s spring at Norra Lingenäset on Näsby fält.

Fairy tail path

Näsby fält is a rich mix of deciduous forest, meadows, pasture, shrubs, reeds and seasonally flooded grasslands. The marked paths are walkable all year round.

Norra Lingenäset is at its beautiful best in spring.

Wood anemones and yellow anemones carpet the floor. Pale pink toothwort peeps out from beneath the leaves. Soon it’s time for the delicate white flowers of wild garlic to herald the advent of yellow archangel, lily of the valley and herb-paris.

Cheery birdsong Enjoy a spring stroll serenaded by the songs of nightingales, blackcaps and garden warblers. From the platform scan the waters of Lake Araslövssjön where goldeneyes, ducks and geese rest on the surface, or search the skies to glimpse a kite or marsh harrier patrolling the shores, reed beds and grasslands.

Näsby fält, once a military exercise area, received nature reserve status in 2002 to protect its values as an urban recreation area. Today cows graze here to keep the landscape open.

Norra Lingenäset is an entry point for the Skåne Trail in Vattenriket. There is a rest area here with a shelter, barbecue site and toilet.

The osprey is one of many birds of prey that hunt here.

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INSIDER TIPS • Take the bus to Norra Lingenäset and walk back to the city centre.

• Norra Lingenäset’s short trail is wheelchair-accessible, with a birdwatching platform halfway along the route.

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Walks at Näsby fält

At Norra Lingenäset (1) groves of oak and hazel come alive with wild flowers in spring and early summer: blue, yellow and white anemones, toothwort and bird-in-a-bush.

Marsh harriers and greylag geese nest in the reeds.

Follow the path south to Södra Lingenäset (2), where great limes, ash trees and oaks create a broadleaf forest filled with the song of blackcaps, nightingales and garden warblers in spring. In May Roman snails abound in the damp earth and the air is scented with wild garlic.

Aludden (3) is a low ridge populated with alders, old oaks and ash trees. Down by the lakeside, west of Näsby Gård Farm, geese rest on Franckes udde (4). If you’re lucky, you may even spot osprey fishing here.

Further south the observation tower (Lerduvetornet, 5) offers uninterrupted views over the lake to the north and Västra Fäladen and Lillö to the south. Here penduline tits and rosefinches flit between the lake and the forest.

From Västra Fäladen (6), part of Kristianstad’s old common land, there is a bus service to the city centre.

Marsh harrier 16

HOW TO GET HERE

Address: Norra Lingenäset, Tvedegårdsvägen 99.

On foot/by bicycle: From the city centre head north past the University along Lingenäsvägen.

By bus: City bus 1 to Norra Lingenäset (Göingegatan bus stop, 2 km from Norra Lingenäset) and 4 (University bus stop).

By car: Norra Lingenäset is the best starting point for visitors arriving by car.

Head north on Snapphanevägen towards Gamlegården. Turn left into Tvedegårdsvägen and follow the road to the car park at Norra Lingenäset.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/nasby-falt

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Pulken

Bed & Breakfast for migrating cranes The cranes trumpet their arrival, unfold their long legs and touch down at Pulken, to rest and eat at the feeding station, as visitors in the observation tower await the birds’ spectacular dance.

Shelduck

The arrival of thousands of cranes as March turns to April is a long-awaited sign of spring.

To protect the farmers’ spring sowing, food is scattered over the fields at Pulken and eager visitors crowd the observation platform here to see these stately birds, which can stand up to 1.3 metres tall.

As dusk falls the cranes retreat to the wetlands, safe from prowling foxes.

A sure sign of spring Cranes spend winter in southern Europe and migrate north in February, crossing France, Germany and the Baltic Sea to rest at Pulken for a day or two, before flying to their breeding sites.

The observation tower provides a grandstand view of their fascinating behaviour. Look carefully and you’ll see how they take a little leap as they land.

Their ritual dance is a way to strengthen family ties in the breeding season.

While most cranes breed further north, a few remain to nest and raise chicks in the wetlands. In September the birds gather again to fly to their winter home in the Spanish wetlands.

Birds flock to Pulken all year round. In winter large flocks of geese graze on the fields and white-tailed eagles hunt for prey. In spring lapwing, curlew and yellow wagtail nest here, and ducks congregate in the pools of water.

Did you kno w?

Cranes 52

• The crane is Europe’s talle st bird (1.3 met res).

• Cranes bon d for life and can live to be 25–3 0 years old.

17

17

HOW TO GET HERE

By bus: Regional bus 551 to Yngsjö (Yngsjö School bus stop). From there walk 2.3 km to Pulken outdoor museum.

By car: Take road 118 from Kristianstad through Åhus to Yngsjö. At the crossing in Yngsjö turn right towards Everöd. After 2 km there is a sign and car park on the left.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/pulken

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54

55

Stork Centre Viby – home of the stork

Storks were once common in Skåne, but found it hard to forage for food when the wetlands were drained.

The Stork Project aims to give storks a second chance, and today you can see them nest on the farm roofs in Viby.

Storks nest early in the year. By April they have already begun their work and the sound of their clapping bills echoes through the air in Viby. The chicks hatch in May after 30 days. Ten weeks later they are ready to fly.

The beginning of the end for storks After the first white storks settled in Skåne in the 1400s, their numbers increased until the 1800s. From the 1850s, however, the landscape changed as more land was used for farming. This spelt the end for the storks.

Wetlands were drained, meadows were ploughed, the storks found it harder to forage for food, and by 1954 there was only one breeding pair left in Sweden.

A new chance for storks In 1989 the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Skåne’s Ornithological Society initiated the Stork Project to facilitate the stork’s return. Viby was a site for one of the aviaries and today free-flying storks nest on the farm roofs.

A stork-friendly environment is essential if storks are to return in numbers. Thanks to Vattenriket projects to restore and create wetlands, there is a chance to see storks again on the seasonally flooded grasslands around Viby and Pulken.

Viby Farm Shop

Look for stork nests on the rooftops.

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Stork-wa

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18

HOW TO GET HERE

Address: The Stork Centre is close to Viby Farm Shop, 22 Viby kyrkväg.

By bus: City bus 1 to Viby Church bus stop. Then a 200-metre walk north to the farm shop.

18

By car: Take road 118 from Kristianstad towards Åhus. Turn right in Viby along Viby kyrkväg. The Stork Centre and farm shop are on the left 300 metres down the road.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/storkcenter www.storkprojektet.se

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58

Fishing

Different waters – many species – great fishing Shallow lakes and fast-flowing streams. Beaches and river mouths.

Freshwater and saltwater. Fishing is fun all year round in Vattenriket’s varied aquatic environments.

River Helge å, Lakes Hammarsjön and Araslövssjön The River Helge å from Torsebro, via Lakes Araslövssjön and Hammarsjön to the sea is one of Sweden’s most species-rich fishing environments. Among more than 35 species caught in the Lower Helge å Fishery Conservation Area, plenty of pike, perch, sea trout, salmon, pike-perch and carp make these waters popular with anglers.

Tips: See how many different fish you can hook from the Kanalhuset jetty. For a little excitement try fishing in one of the lakes with surface lures on a calm summer evening.

Good sites: Kanalhuset, Hammarslundsvallen and Kavrö bridge.

Vramsån The Vramsån is one of the Helge å’s finest tributaries. In the Köping Fishery Conservation Area anglers hook sea trout in the spring and perch and pike all year round.

Tips: Angling with a worm by the bathing site in Gärds Köpinge usually yields results.

Good sites: Vramsön visitor site in Gärds Köpinge.

Coastal fishing You can fish in the sea without a fishing permit all year round. The sea trout season starts on New Year’s Day. Garfish visit the coastal regions in May. On warm summer evenings ledgering from the shoreline can produce catches of perch and flatfish. In autumn, when the pike are extra hungry, cast your spoon close to areas with large stones and bladderwrack.

Tips: Ledger with herring or shrimp along the shore on an summer evening.

Good sites: Ledger from the shore at Nyehusen. Fish for sea trout at Revhaken and Snickarhaken.

Please rememb er:

• Catfish are a ra re and protected specie s. Release them as quickly and carefully as possible.

• You need a fis hing permit to fish in rivers and lakes.

• What, where an d when to fish? See: www.svenskafisk eregler.se

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Sånnarna

Vattenriket’s very own pampas Sånnarna is a landscape of wide open views, a vista that stretches for miles. But focus instead on the dry, meagre soils and you will see a fascinating multitude of busy insects.

Sånnarna outdoor muse um

lling a mate

Natterjack toad ca 60

In summer the fields are a patchwork of blue, red and gold. Sheep’s-bit, sheep’s sorrel and dwarf everlast thrive in the most meagre soils, while alkanet, viper’s bugloss and field cow-wheat inhabit the more nutrient-rich areas.

Sånnarna is a local word for ‘the sands’, dry, sandy terrain on the outskirts of Åhus managed until the 1950s under a rotational system of cultivation and fallow. The fallow land was used for grazing Long considered to be of little worth, today the area is prized for its high natural values, special flora and rare insects. The Sånnarna outdoor museum was created in 2006 and the area became a nature reserve in 2013.

This is the home of wild bees, horned dung-beetles and the rare natterjack toad that spawns in the water-filled pits by the car park.

A feast for the senses Wild bees buzz among the thyme flowers, while butterflies flit from plant to plant in constant quest of nectar.

The woodlark sings its gentle, melodious song by the edge of the wood, and with a little good fortune you may spot a dun-coloured tawny pipit foraging for insects in the sand.

A herby fragrance of wild thyme, lady’s bedstraw and sand pink drifts in on the warm breeze. A summer stroll at Sånnarna is a feast for all the senses.

Listen to the mating calls of the toads on a calm summer evening.

Tawny pipit

19

19

HOW TO GET HERE

On foot/by bicycle: Sånnarna outdoor museum is west of the golf course in Åhus.

Sånnastigen is a marked trail from Åhus (Kavrövägen/Flötövägen) via the golf links to Sånnarna.

By car: From Kristianstad take Åsumvägen towards Åhus. There is a sign to Sånnarna a kilometre or two north of Åhus. Turn right and follow the road to the car park at the edge of the forest. From here it is a 300-metre walk to the outdoor museum.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/sannarna

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River Vramsån Nature for rest and play

Swim, fish, walk the dog.

Admire the kingfishers.

Marvel at the long tresses of river water crowfoot in the tumbling water. There’s lots to do by the riverside – or nothing at all. The choice is yours.

The ideal place to make a splash!

A walk along the banks of the River Vramsån in Gärds Köpinge is a refreshing experience in the heat of high summer. Here the river flows both slow and fast, damselflies flutter above the water like tiny, shiny blue helicopters and river water crowfoot blossoms white on the surface.

When the water level falls in spring islands of anemones and wild garlic form in the stream. In autumn the trees are ablaze with colour, and in winter white-throated dippers bathe among the icicles on the salmon ladder.

A river rich in aquatic insects Once there was an old bathing site by the bridge.

Fifty years ago children from neighbouring villages were bussed here to learn how to swim. Locals still bathe here today, and they also light bonfires on the last day in April, fish, play boules, become better acquainted with nature and relax in the tranquil surroundings.

The river retains its meandering course, shady trees and feeder streams. The cold, oxygen-rich water is home to many fish, aquatic insects and mussels – not least, the rare freshwater pearl mussel.

Then, in this serene setting – sheep grazing in the meadows, the water bubbling and fizzing – a sudden swift flash of blue in the air signals the arrival of a kingfisher, scouring the river in search of a snack.

The river is home to water bugs, close relatives of stink bugs.

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INSIDER TIP S

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HOW TO GET HERE

The Vramsån visitor site is by the old bathing site in Gärds Köpinge.

By bus: Regional bus 553 to Köpinge Fire Station bus stop, a 400-metre walk from the visitor site.

By car: Drive along Fredrika Bremers väg through the village, past the church. Drive right down to the river on Karl Jönssons väg (a narrow track that looks like a cycle path, but where cars are also permitted).

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/besoksplats-vramsan

Kingfisher 63

Åsums ängar

Food for cattle and home for birds Lake Hammarsjön’s seasonally flooded grasslands have provided pasture and hay since time immemorial – an ideal setting for the many birds to be seen from the Åsums ängar observation tower.

er from the tow Bird watch

Åsums ängar is fine birdwatching country. In late summer cranes, curlews, greylag geese, lapwings and flocks of starlings forage here for insects. Suddenly the geese take to the wing. Have they spotted a white-tailed eagle?

The seasonally flooded grasslands around Lake Hammarsjön have been used for pasture and haymaking for centuries. With the rise of large-scale agriculture in the 1950s the meadows were neglected and birds found it harder to nest.

Work to restore the grasslands began in the 1990s.

Today we can enjoy the results. Redshank, curlew and lapwing populate the grazed grass in the open pasture and hayfields stretching out north of the observation tower. Yellow wagtails snap up insects in the shadows of the cows.

Variation attracts many species To the south, where the meadows merge into the reeds, are grasshopper warblers, reed buntings and sedge warblers. Further south still is one of Vattenriket’s finest wet forests, where woodpeckers, insects and fungi live among the high stumps and fallen trees.

The reeds by the water’s edge are the domain of marsh harriers, bearded reedlings and reed warblers.

Between the reeds and the meadows is the ‘blue border’ where the animals graze on the reeds from the water. Here there is food a-plenty for shovellers, teal and garganey.

Look for white-tailed eagles – King of Vattenriket’s skies!

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HOW TO GET HERE

On foot/by bicycle: Åsums ängar outdoor museum is east of Norra Åsum. The cycle path from Kristianstad (5 km) passes right by.

By bus: City bus 4 to Norra Åsum (Lottavägen bus stop), an 850-metre walk from the outdoor museum By car: From junction 38 (Vilan) on the E22 head south to Norra Åsum. Turn left and follow the signs for Åsums ängar. Continue along the unpaved road 500 metres to the car park. There is disabled parking beside the tower.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/asums-angar

Tofsvipa 65

Äspet

Plenty to see and do all year round Äspet has something for everyone – the beach and sea for bathers, forest paths for walkers, and an observation tower overlooking a lagoon teeming with waders and ducks.

Kronoskogen Forest

Shoreline walks

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Sand, sea and sky as far as the eye can see. From here in Åhus the beaches of Hanöbukten Bay, dotted with eel huts, stretch out south for miles. Visitors flock here in summer to swim, relax and picnic on the sand.

For birdwatchers there is something to see all year round. In spring little terns and lapwings rest in the lagoon, avocets and shelducks nest on the sand bars, and terns fish in the sea.

Even on the greyest September day you may see white wagtails and swallows skim the reeds, or a merlin chase a meadow pipit across the lagoon, while out at sea a group of resting brent geese search for seawrack.

Main flyway for migrating birds As Äspet is midway along the Öland–Falsterbo flight path, as many as 1,000 waders and 20 different species congregate here at a time. Dunlin, ruff, wood sandpiper and curlew sandpiper are just a few of the many avian visitors.

Away from the sea breeze in the tranquillity of Kronoskogen Forest, just a stone’s throw from the busy market square in Åhus, you can stroll among tall pines, interspersed with oaks, hazel and beech trees.

Grey lichen and bright green moss carpet the ground and the forest birds – black woodpeckers, wood warblers, serins and flycatchers – provide a fine complement to the shoreline’s seabirds, waders, terns and ducks.

Äspet has something for everyone – walkers, sun-lovers, bathers and birdwatchers – all year round.

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HOW TO GET HERE

Revhaken

On foot/by bicycle: Äspet is south of River Helge å in Åhus. There is a bridge over the river west of the harbour.

By bus: Regional bus to Åhus (Järnvägsgatan bus stop), a 3.2 km walk from Äspet outdoor museum.

By car: Take road 118 from Kristianstad through Åhus. After the second roundabout turn left towards Äspet. After the bridge over the river turn left into Åvägen that later becomes Snickarehaksvägen.

The car park and Äspet outdoor museum is on the left approx. 2 kilometres along the road.

Äspet outdoor museum

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/aspet

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Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve

Benefiting people and nature Vattenriket is a model area for sustainable development, where we work to enable people and nature to thrive in harmony. Our aim is an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable society.

Enabling people to experience nature inspires them to conserve it. That’s why we have created some 20 visitor sites with observation towers, marked trails and outdoor museums.

The jewel in our crown is the naturum Vattenriket visitor centre with exhibitions, meeting rooms and a restaurant. Here we

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explain how the biosphere reserve works and encourage visitors to explore it for themselves.

Work is led by the Biosphere Office, a department of Kristianstad Municipality. In dialogue and collaboration with associations, companies and landowners we work to develop sustainable solutions to use

and conserve natural values. We create wetlands, restore sandy grasslands and maintain hiking trails.

Our work also involves producing and sharing new knowledge, so the Biosphere Office makes inventories, works with researchers and hosts conferences.

Results have been positive. At the Pulken visitor site migrating cranes, visitors and farmers co-exist in harmony. Catfish have been successfully reintroduced into the river and otters fish close to the naturum.

Today the wetlands are no longer seen as a problem, but as a valuable resource for Kristianstad.

Species diversity and efficient ecosystems help us to cope better with climate change and other challenges.

It is a development that is good for both nature and people.

What is a biosphere reserve?

It is an area of natural value where people and nature can develop in harmony. Work focuses on conserving, developing and supporting local ecosystems and species. In 20122 there were 714 UNESCO-designated biosphere reserves in 129 countries.

Vattenriket is Sweden’s oldest and received biosphere status in 2005.

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Accessible for all

It is important to make Vattenriket’s splendid nature accessible to as many people as possible. That’s why several of our visitor sites are adapted for wheelchairs, children’s buggies and rollators.

Making nature accessible to everyone is not easy. Accessibility is experienced differently depending on functional variation.

Certain visitor sites have an extra focus on accessible boardwalks, birdwatching towers, picnic sites and toilets.

Look for the accessibility symbol by the list of visitor sites and on the maps in this guide. More detailed information is available on the Vattenriket and Equality homepages.

For more details, see: vattenriket.kristianstad.se/tillganglighet equality.se

Ekenabben

Tips for easy access visito r

• Naturum Vat

tenriket

• Ekenabben • Norra Lingen

äset

• Håslövs äng

ar

• Pulken 70

sites

Contact

Homepage: vattenriket.kristianstad.se Facebook: www.facebook.com/NaturumVattenriket Instagram: vattenriket Telephone to naturum Vattenriket: +46 (0)44 13 23 30

Explore Vattenriket excursion guide Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Office, first English edition 2022.

Graphic design: Ebba Trolle in collaboration with Jenny Willman Design & Heléne Tuvesson Design.

Text: Åsa Pearce.

Translation: Fluid Translation.

Cover picture: Kanalhuset, photo Biosphere Office.

Photos: Patrik Olofsson/N (pages 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 24, 25, 27, 30-33, 35, 36, 39, 42, 45, 46, 51-56, 57, 60, 61, 63, 65-68), Hans Cronert (pages 2, 6), Torkel Edenborg (page 6), Sven Persson Swelo (pages 2, 8, 26, 58), Mattias Roos (pages 8, 9, 13, 28, 70), Adobe Stock (pages 12, 20, 22, 28, 30, 34, 38, 44, 47, 48, 49, 52, 64), Biosphere Office (pages 9, 11, 15, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 29, 32-34, 39, 40-45, 48-51, 56, 61, 62, 64, 66, 67), Jennie Ahlqvist (page 19).

Illustrations: Tina Lundgren (page 10), Peter Elfman (page 38), Emma Andersson (page 62).

Maps: Environmental & Community Planning Dept., Kristianstad Municipality © Geodatasamverkan, except for map on pages 4–5 T-kartor Sweden AB. ISBN: 978-91-633-2309-6.

ISSN: 1653-9338.

Welcome to Vattenriket!

Rivers, lakes and sea. Ridges, plains and forests.

Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve includes almost all types of Swedish nature and is home to many different plants and animals – a splendid destination for walking, cycling, canoeing, fishing and birdwatching. There are 22 visitor sites with observation towers, boardwalks and outdoor museums, plus the naturum Vattenriket visitor centre – your gateway to exploring the wetlands.