Sånnarna, besöksplats i Vattenriket

The sands are the landscape of the open spaces. Here, your gaze can wander far above the hills. But if you look down on the dry, thin soil, you'll discover a myriad of insects.

In summer, the fields glow in blue, red and yellow. Bluebells, mountain sorrel and heath flowers thrive on the really lean ground. The slightly more nutrient-rich soils attract typical woody plants such as bluebell, ox tongue and huckleberry.

Sånnarna is the local word for the sands. These dry and sandy soils outside Åhus have been cultivated with a shifting cultivation system since the 1950s. They could only be cultivated at sparse intervals. In between, they lay fallow and were grazed. In the past, the land was considered scruffy. Today, we appreciate the area's high natural values, unique plants and rare insects. In 2006, the Sånnarna outdoor museum was opened and the area became a nature reserve in 2013.

Wild bees and beetles such as the moonhorn beetle live here. In the water-filled pits next to the parking lot, the rare beach toad plays. Wild bees buzz in the thyme flowers and bluebottles and grass butterflies fly from plant to plant in search of nectar.

The skylark sings its characteristic soft, melodic song at the edge of the forest. If you're lucky, you'll see the sand-colored little skylark searching for insects among the sand piles. A walk on Sånnarna on a high summer's day is a feast for all the senses. The gentle breeze brings with it a spicy scent of yellow poppy, baking thyme and the occasional cushion of sand cloves.