Tosteberga ängar, Naturreservat

Tosteberga ängar is a coastal reserve near the border with Blekinge. Here you are met by Skåne's only archipelago and a flat and rocky landscape. Several well-made stone fences from the 18th and 19th centuries run across the coastal meadows. In spring, the pastures turn yellow and purple with cowslips and wood anemones. In spring and summer, the bushes are alive with nesting birds. With a little luck, you can even see the mighty sea eagle.

Ancient agricultural landscape

An ancient agricultural landscape spreads out on Tosteberga meadows. Our ancestors have grazed their cattle here for many hundreds of years. The short-grazed grass combined with nature's variety of wet depressions, dry heights and the calcareous soil make the meadows an eldorado for botanists. Where it is moist, mayweed and meadowsweet bloom in different shades of pink, and on the calcareous meadows, the characteristic species bride's bread, sundew and the unusual field bindweed grow.

Bird-rich coastal meadows

It is not only the pasture plants that depend on cows keeping the grass short. Wading birds, such as redshanks, oystercatchers and lapwings, also benefit from the low grass of the salt meadows, where they can forage for food.

Ancient monuments

Several well-made stone fences from the 18th and 19th centuries run across the salt meadows towards the water. Sloan, hawthorn and roses have grown up in the clearing cairns, where stones have been thrown up to cultivate the land. Under the cover of these thorny thickets, other shrubs such as olive, dogwood and hazel have been able to grow. Here, among the stones and in the dense bushes, stone curlews, nightingales and other small birds have their well-hidden nests.

Outdoor life

Two marked trails start from the parking lot. To walk the trails you first need to go over a stile. The red trail, about 2.5 km, takes you around most of the reserve. The blue trail, about 1.2 km, makes a loop around the middle part. At the parking lot there is a picnic area with tables, benches and a fireplace. Remember to bring charcoal if you are grilling and to take your trash home. Toilet is missing for resource reasons.

In English

Welcome to Tosteberga ängar Nature Reserve

People and nature have combined their efforts to shape the varied and rich landscape here at Tosteberga Ängar. During spring the pastures shimmer in yellow and purple from the cowslips and pasqueflowers. Here and there, the early purple orchid push up their dark purple flower spikes. In the spring and summer, the bushes teem with small birds eager to breed, and here, in the only archipelago in Skåne, you can see the impressive white tailed eagle.

At Tosteberga Ängar an ancient agricultural landscape spreads out before you. Our forefathers have grazed their animals here for hundreds of years. The well grazed pasture in combination with the natural variation of wet hollows, dry hummocks and the chalk rich soils make these meadows an eldorado for botanists. Where it is wetter, bird's eye primrose and early marsh orchids flower in various shades of pink, and on the dry chalky meadows characteristic species such as dropwort, common rock rose and the unusual field fleawort grow.

It is not only the plants in the pastures that are dependent on the cows keeping the grass short. Wading birds, such as redshank, oyster catcher and lapwing also benefit from the short grass in the coastal meadows, where they can stroll around and look for food.

Running down towards the water, across the coastal meadows, there are several well-built stone walls. Blackthorn, hawthorn and rose have grown up on the clearance cairns, where people have piled up the stones in order to be able to work the soil. In the shelter of this thorny scrub, other bushes such as guelder rose, dogwood and hazel have become established. Here, among the stones and the dense scrub, wheatear, thrush nightingale and other small birds make their well-hidden nests.

Regulations

Within Tosteberga ängar Nature Reserve it is forbidden to:

• pick flowers or dig up plants,
• take stones, sand, gravel or soil.

The islets of Rustningsskäret and Åldermansskäret are also included in the Ängholmarna Bird Protection Area, where access is forbidden between 1st March and 30th June.