Tolången, Naturreservat

In Tolången Nature Reserve you can experience a magical mixed forest with lush deciduous trees, pine-dominated rocky areas and a wonderful view of the waters of Lake Tolången.

A visit to Tolången is a guaranteed adventure and not for the inexperienced hiker. The terrain is hilly with large rocks and fallen tree trunks. The reserve, which is part of a former crown park, has largely been preserved thanks to the fact that the area is inaccessible and difficult to carry out forestry in.

The old forest grows on fertile land, which is not so common in today's forest landscape. On the slopes and in the valleys, tall, coarse ravine forest of spruce dominates, with an admixture of aspen and birch and the noble deciduous trees ash, oak and lime.

The broadleaf trees are a remnant of the more open, sparse forests of earlier periods that were once grazed by cattle. On the western edge of the reserve, all the large oaks with large crowns have been cut free from the surrounding trees, so that they can get more light and develop better. Such large oaks are unusual in the "coniferous forest" and a consequence of the fact that the state's crown hunters were considerate towards the oaks.

Several unusual fungi, lichens and mosses are associated with the older broadleaf forest, such as hedgehog mushrooms and western kidney lichen. The herb flora is also rich, with demanding herbs such as musk madder and eye pyrola, as well as the rare grass forest fescue.

Although Tolången can feel like a wilderness, there are traces of previous generations. In a depression running through the reserve, it is possible to discern an old road used to transport timber by horse. Following the road, there are also the remains of a charcoal kiln.

For you as a visitor

At Lake Godgölen there is a parking lot with space for about four cars. Park wisely so that you do not block roads and road barriers. A coffee table is available at the parking lot.

From the parking lot starts a hiking trail that after a few hundred meters forms a round loop. The trail is 3.2 kilometers long in its entirety and marked with orange color. The trail runs predominantly on forest roads to the reserve. In the reserve, part of the route runs along an old cultural road, the so-called Gaddstigen, which was once used to transport copper to Åtvidaberg's copper works. Along the trail there are also remains of a coal mine. The route through the reserve is quite demanding as the terrain is hilly, steep and blocky.