Vitärtskällan, Naturreservat

Here you can walk along a winding spring stream and study orchids and other spring marsh plants.

The Vitärtskällan nature reserve is located next to the eastern side of Kappelshamnsviken, just under a kilometer north of the Storugn industrial area. Vitärtskällan is named after the spring that is located just below the road that forms the eastern border of the reserve. The strong flow of the spring has given rise to a stream that meanders down the slope towards the eastern shore of Kappelshamn Bay. The spring water has also created a spring marsh with an unusually rich flora.

The vegetation is dominated by axagus, a tuft-forming semi-grass, meadowsweet, bluebell and various sedge species such as millet sedge, meadow sedge and slender sedge. Among the herbs, mention can be made of lily of the valley, clover and mayweed, as well as orchids such as spurge, marsh marigold, meadow keys and marsh keys. More locally occurring are woodruff, water primrose and brown eyebright. In the stream channels, brook marigold, wood anemone, marsh marigold, water mint, water toadflax and large water lily grow.

A large number of small animals such as spiders, insects and snails also live in Vitärtskällan, including the rare species of small snail and limpet snail. It is much easier to spot wood lizards, snakes, common toads and field frogs. In the spring streams you can often see small spiders scurrying around.