Vittskövle sandmark, Naturreservat

Sand dunes in the hinterland? Yes, there is sandy land here in Vittskövle. Here rises the high and elongated dune Vittskövle driva, half a mile in from the Furuboda coast. Vittskövle driva is perhaps best known among botanists for its sandy soil flora. The rare sandwort currently grows mainly in the far east, in the part of the dune that lies outside the reserve. But with grazing animals and a reduction in the number of trees and shrubs, it is expected to spread to the other part of the dune. There are no hiking trails in the reserve, but local people like to walk in the open pastures to the west.

Sand drift from the 18th century sandstorms

Sand dunes are something we often associate with coastal landscapes. We often see them in connection with sandy beaches, such as the dunes in Ängelholm strandskog and the dune landscape south of Åhus. Here in the Vittskövle sandy area it is instead an inland dune. But it was formed in the same way - by sandstorms. It was probably a fence of braided branches that trapped the first sand in the 18th century and was then built on. Linne describes it in 1749 as ridges of drifting sand that "were held together by a fence erected between north and south, at which the sand stopped like snowdrifts". When Vittskövle driva or Stora Sanddrivan, as it is also known, was formed, the landscape was open. The lack of trees and bushes allowed the sand to fly far. The drift looks like a horizontal L. The long horizontal part is included in the reserve, while the part that angles up to the northeast is outside. West of the dune there is also a large pasture that is partly included in the reserve.

Sand dune plants in purple and white

The soil in the reserve contains lime as well as sand. This is reflected in the flowers. In the pasture in the west, the flowers are purple when the field vetch, axveronica and field vetch bloom. On Vittskövle driva there are instead white-flowering sand carnations, large sand lily and then the exclusive species of sand vedel. The sandwort grows mainly in the part of the drift that is outside the reserve. But it is the sand pine that has made Vittskövle Drift famous. It was here that Linnaeus made his first discovery in Sweden in 1749. And nowadays, the sand pine is only found in one area in the entire Nordic region - in eastern Skåne! Today, the drift is partly overgrown and covered with pine. But in the long term, parts of the drift will also be grazed. Something that will benefit the sand pine in the reserve.

Outdoor life and accessibility

The reserve consists of two sub-areas. The part with Vittskövle drift is located in the northeast. It is difficult to access but will be grazed and opened up in the long term. Closest to Vittskövle village in the west are the open, grazed grasslands. This pasture is close to the sports field with parking facilities. The land is mainly used by the local population for walking. The area has no marked trails. Remember to take your rubbish home.