Nötön-Åråsviken, Naturreservat

When you visit the reserve, you will experience one of the country's best examples of end moraine landscape. There are several hiking trails in the area where you can see a number of rare species that are linked to both the broadleaf forest and an old agricultural landscape.

Grazing animals along the trails

The Prästöleden, Nötöleden and Arskagsleden trails pass through pastures. The cows are let out to graze there around May 1. It is not advisable to bring dogs into the pastures when there are animals there.

From Linsö parking lot to Linsöstugan there is a new trail where you do not have to walk in a cow pasture.

Winding ridges and water bodies

The reserve includes headlands and bays in the inner part of Åråsviken. The flat landscape with its many winding ridges forms a mosaic of different habitats from dry hills to deciduous forests. Between the ridges are depressions that form small water bodies. The ridges themselves are made up of sand, gravel and rocks of various sizes (moraine) and were formed during the final phase of the Ice Age.

The area's terminal moraines, formed when the ice sheet retreated northwards about 10,000 years ago, are considered to be among the best in the country. Most of the terminal moraines are covered with deciduous trees, which makes it difficult to see the terminal moraine landscape from land, but they are clearly visible on the map of the archipelago.

The reserve was established to protect the complex and valuable nature of the area. The area is part of the EU's ecological network of protected areas, Natura 2000, and lies within the Kilsviken RAMSAR site (wetland of international importance). The EU's Life-Nature fund has part-financed the restoration of this Natura 2000 site.

Animals and plants

The geological conditions create conditions for a rich and varied plant and animal life. This is particularly evident in the oak and lime forests and the agricultural landscape in the area.

Along the small gravel roads and in the meadows in the reserve grow yellow moon, meadow bell, daisy, hay rattle, eye thrush and several other meadow plants that were common in the past. On eastern Nötön there is a grove-like area with particularly interesting flora. Here you will find musk madder, toothwort, witch hazel and common ragwort.

Birds in the wetland include bittern, coot, brown duck, wigeon, crane, grebe, marsh harrier, osprey and thrush. The area is characterized by the rich insect fauna and many consider the Nötöreservatet to be the county's foremost site for rare insects. The wetland area has a very rich occurrence of dragonflies. The dragonflies in turn provide food for the skylark, which often hunts over the reeds.

Before your visit

There are three visitor entrances to the reserve: Prästön/Linsön in the north, Nötön in the middle and Arskagen in the south. There are information signs at the parking lots.

From each parking lot there is a marked trail in a circular loop of about 5 km each. There are also rest cabins at Linsön and Östra Nötön, several rest areas, some with fireplaces and dry toilets. On Prästön there is a small viewing tower.

From the parking lot out to the southern headland, there is an approximately 2.5 km long (one way) moderately difficult hiking trail. Those with prams or other wheeled aids can walk the car road about 2 km to get almost to the lake, but unfortunately it stops about a hundred meters from the water. The car road is also an option for those who want a change of scenery on the way back from the headland to the parking lot.

In Västra Götaland county, Gullspång municipality, the reserve continues but this part cannot be reached by road. (See Nötön/Åråsviken in Västra Götaland county).