Kalmar – Nature, Culture and Hiking Trails

In the south of Öland, a vast limestone plateau shapes the World Heritage landscape. People have lived there for around 5,000 years; evidence shows continuous settlement from prehistory to the present day.

The immediate surrounding region includes the subregions Högsby, Emmaboda, Gullabo, Runnö, Nybro, Västervik, Torsås, Mönsterås, Kalmar, Oskarshamn, Hultsfred, Vimmerby, Vissefjärda, Borgholm, Rugstorp and Mörbylånga.

History

The cultural landscape of southern Öland is protected under various Swedish laws, particularly the National Heritage Act, the Planning and Building Act, and the Environmental Code. These regulations protect archaeological sites and monuments, historic buildings, the landscape, and wildlife.

The excursion guide “Upptäck Kalmar län” presents 70 nature reserves and cultural landscapes on the mainland and on Öland. Its maps show the routes to various trails, rest shelters, and viewpoints; symbols provide, among other things, an overview of accessibility.

Trails

Several routes explore Mittlandet and the landscapes of Öland, with varying lengths and trail layouts. The 53.3-kilometre Mittlandsleden runs through Mittlandet, is marked with orange bands, and has several story benches. In the Rönnerum-Abbantorp Nature Reserve, a 9.7-kilometre circular route passes through the area and includes shorter sections.

The Långlötleden is 6 kilometres long, starts and ends at Ölands Museum Himmelsberga, and follows old farm tracks, livestock trails, and paths. The 3-kilometre Gula slingan starts at Station Linné and leads into the southern parts of Mittlandet. The Mörbylångaleden is designated the “Öland Signature Trail” and is divided into five stages.

The Kalmarsundsleden offers more than 120 kilometres of opportunities for hiking and cycling through coastal landscapes, natural areas, cultural-historical sites, and small settlements. Along the trail there are opportunities for swimming, resting, and overnight stays. The route follows old country roads, railway embankments, village roads, and coastal riding trails; wind shelters and places to make fires are located at several points.

Nature

Nature reserves are established in Kalmar County to preserve biodiversity and valuable natural areas, as well as to meet the need for recreational areas. At 2,300 hectares, Allgunnen Nature Reserve is one of the largest nature reserves in Kalmar County. It encompasses most of Lake Allgunnen as well as numerous large and small islands.

More than 100 rare beetles have been found so far in Allgunnen Nature Reserve. Lake Allgunnen is one of the few large unregulated lakes in southern Sweden and, together with the Alsterån River, forms species-rich aquatic habitats.

At Beijershamn, 650 of the approximately 1,000 Swedish species of larger moths have been observed. Beijershamn is also the only known location in the Nordic countries for the critically endangered Fönstervingespinnare. Beijershamn Nature Reserve can be reached by car, bus, and bicycle. The waters south of the pier are very well suited to windsurfing and kitesurfing.

Ottenby Nature Reserve lies at the southern tip of Öland, which is considered one of the best places in Sweden for birdwatching. The Långe Jan lighthouse stands there; it was built in the 1780s, is 42 metres high, and is considered Sweden’s tallest lighthouse. The nature reserve has four marked hiking trails as well as several unmarked paths and farm tracks.

Food and Cuisine

Öland’s Harvest Festival takes place across the entire island every autumn at the end of September, usually in week 39. The festival includes more than 900 activities, including farm shops and food markets. During the event, shops, farm shops, restaurants, eateries, and cafés sell and serve freshly harvested and processed delicacies.

Guided culinary walks and tastings on Öland combine walks through the landscape with stories about the region’s natural and cultural history. The culinary walk in Mittlandet ends at Mittlandsgården with coffee prepared over an open fire and a tasting of the farm’s honey.

Culture

The Kalmar County Museum features, among other things, a large exhibition about the warship Kronan. Skärgårdsparken contains two Iron Age burial mounds, one round and one square; the square one measures 18 × 7 metres.

An embankment from the former railway between Kalmar and Torsås runs through Skärgårdsparken. Construction of the line began in December 1897, and it opened to traffic on 8 August 1899.