Östafors bruk, Naturreservat

On the border between Skåne and Blekinge, the Holjeån river meanders between high, forested mountain ridges. The scenery is dramatic, with rushing water and sharp, goat-backed pebble ridges. Down by the river you may see kingfishers, common terns or white-tailed egrets looking for food in the streams. Östafors mill borders the Ljungryda nature reserve on the Blekinge side of the border. The Bronze Age royal tombs are enthroned here.

Take a trip into Blekinge

Nature knows no boundaries, and the Östafors Bruk-Ljungryda nature reserve stretches out on both sides of the border between Skåne and Blekinge. It is a varied landscape with shifts between forest and open land. The steep slopes are covered with deciduous trees such as beech, hornbeam and oak. Along the ridges there is a border of alder in many places.

The royal tombs and other traces from the past

Humans settled here as early as the Stone Age, 5,000 years ago. There are a large number of graves and remains of settlements. Many burial mounds from the Bronze Age are clearly visible in the landscape, and the largest is the so-called King's Grave. It is located in Blekinge, just north of the county border. It is 20 meters in diameter and more than 3 meters high.

There are also traces of man's work with the earth. Here in the valley you can still experience the old roads, find the remains of cultivation terraces and pollarded trees. These trees are recognizable by the fact that they branch out a bit up the trunk into many smaller trunks.

The rich waters of Höljeån

Holjeån's winding course, with calm stretches and rapids every now and then, creates the conditions for a great wealth of species both in the water and on land. There are large populations of king fern, a large fern that is also called safflower. The river is home to many fish species, such as trout, minnow, brook lamprey, eel and pike. When the power plant dams at Östafors were demolished in the fall of 2007, the way was open for fish to swim up into the rushing water. Today, salmon and salmon trout are once again migrating in Holjeån. During the winter, you can also see traces of otters that like to go sledging in the snow.

Outdoor life

In Östafors mill and Ljungryda there is a lot to look at. A marked trail takes you around Östafors mill and on into the neighboring nature reserve Ljungryda Link to another website. in Blekinge. Skåneleden (SL1 coast to coast, stages 2 and 3) and Blekingeleden (stages 2 and 3) go through the reserves. The Näsumaleden trail for both cycling and hiking also passes through. There is a rest area, shelter and toilet here in Östafors Bruk. Remember to take your rubbish home. Don't miss the Bronze Age King's Tombs in the northern part of Ljungryda. Parking is available adjacent to both reserves. Bus stop Östafors is a few hundred meters south.

In English

Welcome to Östafors Bruk Nature Reserve

The river Holjeån runs along the border between Skåne and Blekinge, winding its way between high, tree-covered rock ridges. The countryside is dramatic, with river rapids and sharp, eskers shaped like the backs of goats. If you're lucky you can go down to the river and catch sight of Kingfisher, White-throated Dipper or Grey Wagtail looking for food in the currents.

Nature doesn't recognize borders, and the reserve spreads out on both sides of the border between Skåne and Blekinge. This is a varied landscape, changing from forest to open land. The steep slopes are covered with broad-leaved trees like beech, European hornbeam and oak. The riverbanks are lined with alder in many places.

Regulations

Within Östaforsbruk nature reserve it is forbidden to:

• damage land or aquatic bottoms, destroy or damage permanent natural objects or surface formations,
• remove or damage cultural-historical remains,
• unduly disturb the animal life,
• damage growing or dead trees, shrubs or other vegetation, or remove or burn dead wood,
• dig up plants,
• trap or collect invertebrate animals in such a way that their biotopes or reproduction habitats are damaged or destroyed,
• bring unleashed dogs other than in connection with protective hunting,
• drive motorized vehicles, ride or cycle other than on roads,
• light fires or use grills or spirit stoves other than in prepared fireplaces,
• lay up boats or other watercraft other than in connection with temporary visits to the area,
• camp for more than one night,
• park caravan, camper or similar,
• cause disturbing noise,

Furthermore, without permission from the County Administrative Board it is forbidden to:

• pick mosses, lichens or wood-living fungi, except in reasonable amounts for species determination,
• carry our scientific research which includes sample-taking or the installation of equipment,
• put out traps for the collection of invertebrates,
• use the area for competitions or exercises that may disturb the countryside or recreational activities,
• put up notice boards, placards, posters, signs, paper-strips or similar or make inscriptions.