Våckelberget och Våckelbergets skogar

Våckelberget, north of Enviken, is known for its mountainside and miles of views and has long been a state nature reserve. Thanks to Falu municipality, the protected area on the mountain was expanded when the Våckelberget municipal nature reserve was established. The original state reserve, Våckelberget, is now surrounded to the north and south by the municipal nature reserve.

View and biological values

For many people, it is the view from the crest of Våckelberget's cliff that attracts them. The slope is a so-called south-facing mountain, which is a steep mountain that has a side facing south, east or west. The sun-warmed rocks store heat and provide a favorable climate for heat-loving plants and animals, especially in spring and autumn. Here, on the slopes of Våckelberget, you can find lime, maple and hazel, musk madder, stinkweed, horsetail and kingcup. All these species are more common further south in the country and may not even be found near Våckelberget otherwise. Why is that? They have remained here after a warmer period long, long ago. Thanks to the mountain's heat storage, a climate is formed that allows these plants to survive on the slopes.

In addition to the warmth of the rock, there's another thing that makes it favorable to grow here: the nutrient supply is also good. As nutrient-rich water trickles down the slope, it simply becomes like a small greenhouse here, with built-in nutrient-rich irrigation!

The forests have high biological values and here you will find habitats and plant and animal life that are unusual for the area. In the northern part, there is old spruce forest that is older than 120 years, parts with old pine, rocky areas with steep slopes, herb-rich wetlands and more. The southern part of the area is different, here it is mostly older pine forest with elements of spruce and various deciduous trees. The area is blocky, sometimes so much so that no trees can grow there.

Traces of man

Within the nature reserve there are also traces of man, here there has been both mining and tar production. The name Våckelberget also suggests that there has been a springhouse here. Spring barrows were once used to warn of danger by lighting bonfires that could be seen from a distance. According to stories, the spring cairn was located in the southern part of the reserve.

Resting place

At the southern end of the hiking trail there is a rest area with the possibility of barbecuing. **Please note that there is no wood storage at the rest area itself. If you want to grill, there is firewood to carry from a wood store located by the path just south of the upper parking lot.