Bjärby & Lilla Dalby Alvar (moor)
Grasshoopers and a deserted village
“Lilla Dalby” and “Bjärby” alvar is varied with wetlands, wooded ridges and open rocky Alvar. The landscape is scattered with rocks and boulders since the inland ice retreated.
Alvar flora
The thin soil has been grazed for thousands of years. Here grows spiked speedwell, Dropwort, Small Pasque Flower, Bulbous Buttercup and rarer species such as Alpine Catchfly and Lesser Butterfly-orchid. In the early summer blossoms Elder-flowered Orchid, Burnt Orchid and other orchids in large quantity. The terrain offers a stone circle from the Iron Age, a number of mounds and fine examples of Öland stone walls.
Birdlife
Within the area there are several smaller wetlands, for example, “Rosamossen” and wet meadows along “Penåsabäcken” (bäck = rivulet). Here nests for example Common Snipe and Common Redshank. Out on the “Alvar” you can hear nature birds as European Golden Plover, Northern Wheatear and Whinchat. Perhaps you also will see the elegant Montagu’s Harrier come sailing over the “alvar”, hunting for vole, mice or small birds.
Rare grasshoppers
On the Alvar lives Band-winged Grasshopper which has fared left since last heat period. The hiker on the Alvar may be very surprised when they fly up with a loud snarl and show their pink iridescent wings.
Penåsa deserted village
On Bjärby alvar is Penåsa, a deserted village. Penåsa was cultivated in 1779. The village consisted of two farms that were very small. 1844 Penåsa ceased to excist a village, one of the farms was sold to Kastlösa and the other to Bjärby. Today there are foundations after residential buildings, ruins of a stone cellars and fruit trees and bushes out here.
Walking and cycling path
On the old railway embankment between Kastlösa and Skärlöv you can take a nice walk or bike ride over the Alvar. The railway was in use 1910-1961 and was built to transport sugar beets. The Station houses in Kastlösa and Skärlöv is preserved.
FACTS:
Size: Lilla Dalby 481 ha (1 188 acres), Bjärby 326 ha, (806 acres)
Year of decision: 1980
Objective: To maintain the unique bait depending cultural landscape, vegetation types that are representative of the “Alvar”, benefit both typical and rare plant and animal species, preserve and make visible the cultural relics, facilitate the public experience of natural and cultural relics. The area is part of the EU ecological network of protected areas, Natura 2000.
How to get here:
Follow Route 136 south to Kastlösa alternatively Bjärby. Here are information sites. at Penåsa Ödeby along the old railroad embankment is the parking.
GPS coordinates to the parking lot WGS 84 decimal (lat, lon): 56.44327, 16.46523
Map: Naturcentrum AB, Stenungsund.
Download: the County administrative boards brochure over (in Swedish only)(343kB): Bjarby & Lilla Dalby Alvar
Download: the entire brochure (in Swedish only) (19MB): Utflyktsguide Öland
© Lantmäteriverket, Ur Geografiska Sverigedata, översiktskartan Dnr. 106-2004/188”
Source: County Administrative Board, Kalmar
Translation: Visitoland.com