2. Oles änge

We have now passed a wide gravel embankment and come down into a depression with open ground. The area, called Ole's meadow or Ainvätar by the locals, was previously meadowland and you can clearly see that most of the old ash trees growing in the vicinity bear clear traces of leaf harvesting (felling or pollarding). Foliage harvesting involved using a long knife to cut or chop off leafy twigs and branches from the trees in late summer in order to dry them and later use them as winter feed for the animals. The leaves were considered an excellent complement to hay. In early summer, you can see some flowering orchids out here in the open area. The most common are St. Peter's keys. During the spring snowmelt or after heavy rain, the depression is often completely filled with water.