Bjärby, Naturreservat

Lilla Dalby and Bjärby's alvar offers orchid-covered dry meadows, lush wet meadows and orange-red alvar soils. The varied nature is home to a plethora of plants and animals. The reserve also contains many exciting ancient remains.

Diversity of plants

Stora Alvaret has been grazed for thousands of years. Grazing on the barren, calcareous bedrock has created a very special environment with peculiar plant life. The area's rarities include mountain carnation, large sand lily, island sunflower and alvar wormwood. The latter two are endemic species, which means that Öland is the only place in the world where they grow. A signature of the alvar is all the orchids. On the dry meadows grow Adam and Eve, green clover, cuckoo keys, gunpowder burner and St. Peter's keys. Meadow keys, blood keys, wax keys and honey flowers grow in the rich marshes.

Rich bird life

At Rosamossen, Kvarnkärret and Penåsabäckens wetlands, pipits, snipe, lapwings and redshanks nest. In some years, the rare meadow hawk also nests in the reserves. Remember to show consideration for bird life during the breeding season,

especially around the wetland areas.

Many cultural heritage sites

There are many attractions in the reserves. At the southern border of Lilla Dalby there is a burial ground with a ring of judges. The reserve also contains the Miller Stone and the Tok Stone, two impressive boulders. Characteristic of the whole area are the mile-long stone walls, a

sign of the island's alvars. The single wall, which is the most common, consists of a single row of limestones stacked in even shifts.

Don't miss visiting the island village of Penåsa! The two 18th-century farms in Penåsa village are worth a visit. The foundations of the houses, the lane, the well and the small fenced fields (horvor), testify to a time when people lived on poor soil and with little means. The village is located at the northern border of Bjärby nature reserve.

Hiking trails and visitor information

The embankment across the Alvar is a unique opportunity to easily cross the entire Stora Alvaret and experience the great expanses. You park your car at Penåsa, where there are picnic tables and an accessible dry toilet, and can then cycle or hike. After a few hundred meters there is a picnic area with several barbecue areas and shelters, bicycle pump and dry toilet. You can sleep here for a night if you wish.

There are several hiking trails starting from the parking lot:

Lilla Dalby runt (red marking) 2.8 km

A slightly longer loop all the way to the middle wall and the exciting Miller Stone and then the embankment back (blue marking), about 7 km.

From Lilla Dalby alvar you can also continue north towards Tingstad flisor, 5 km away (white marking).

From the embankment, there is also a loop south to Penåsa lonely village located on Bjärby alvar.

You can also continue along the embankment over the entire Stora Alvaret and arrive at Skärlöv. A fantastic experience to hike here and experience the landscape and the wetland Stentagskärrets bird life right out at the middle wall. Just before you arrive in Skärlöv there is another rest area with a barbecue.

Within the now completed Wellbeing project, two nice sofas were set up in the fields. The two places are specially selected for you to enjoy the tranquility and space day and night.

At the information point, you can also learn more about the World Heritage Site of Southern Öland's cultivated landscape and the uniqueness of Stora Alvaret's geology, history and natural values.