Västra Getterön, Naturreservat

Västra Getterön Nature Reserve is popular and it's easy to see why. There are bathing-friendly cliffs, exciting Bronze Age cairns, flowering herbs, a lovely sandy beach and a rich bird life. The beautiful coastal landscape has something for everyone.
Västra Getterön Nature Reserve is located on the outermost part of Getterön. A place that is also popularly known as Gubbanäsan. But Gubbanäsan is actually just the name of Getterön's westernmost headland.

Find your way around the reserve

There are no marked paths in the reserve, but a clear path leads from the parking lot straight out to the sea. The path continues a bit south, but after that you have to find your own way over rocks and cliffs to get around the peninsula. There are also paths on both sides of Eneskärsviken.

Exciting and unique bedrock

The bedrock at Västra Getterön consists largely of the unusual Varberg granite, charnockite, which is Halland's landscape stone. It is also the rock that Varberg Fortress is built of. There are also exciting geological phenomena such as giant potholes and beautiful shingle fields. In an arc from the eastern slope of the headland up to its highest parts are seven Bronze Age cairns. In the middle of the reserve is its highest point, which is just over 20 meters above sea level. Here you have a view of the western sea and the Balgöfjord archipelago to the north.

Salty baths from the beach and cliffs

The area is a popular destination for excursions, especially in summer. The beaches and cliffs of Gubbanäsan invite you to swim, and the eastern beach is a popular sandy beach. A large part of the reserve consists of sea, of 183 protected hectares, only 53 hectares are land.

Birds and plants

Gubbanäsan is a known site for migrating seabirds during spring. If there are storms from the west, there is a chance throughout the year to see common guillemots, fulmars, auks, skuas or storm petrels visiting from more open sea areas. The vegetation is dominated by grass, heather and sand heaths. The summer flora is characterized by blackthorn, little bluebell and trift. The beach is home to shore cabbage, shore creeper, sea wormwood, saltwort and the rare marsh gentian.

Grazing animals keep the land open

The land has a long history of grazing and since the 18th century, nearby farms have had their animals grazing here. Grazing on Västra Getterön ceased in the mid-1960s, but the area has been grazed again since 1998. The animals play an important role and are needed to keep the land open and preserve important natural values. Cows used to graze here, but now only sheep graze here, so be aware that sheep are easily frightened by dogs. Therefore, consider whether you should walk a dog in the pasture. If you bring your dog into the reserve, it must be kept on a leash at all times, every day of the year.