In the Vendelsöfjorden in Varbergberg municipality are the Vendelsöarna, a nature reserve consisting of Vendelsö and six smaller islands. The reserve is 1,582 hectares in size, of which 262 is land area. If you have access to a boat, you can get around to the various islands and experience their characteristics, as well as enjoy the nice bathing spots the islands offer.
The nature of the main island, Vendelsö, mainly consists of open lands with heather and grass moors that have been grazed by livestock for hundreds of years. Here you can find plants that have benefited from the grazing, for example, common milkwort and early marsh-orchid. In the summer, cattle are sent to the island to preserve the open lands. Some are loose and others are in paddocks. In the southern part of the island, the terrain changes to a more rocky landscape with cool beach caves.
In the summer, wading birds such as redshank, pied oystercatcher, and ringed plover come to the northern part of the island to breed. On the nearby island, Almö, there are colonies of seagulls and terns. During their nesting period, between April 1 and July 15, it is forbidden to visit the area.
The shallow waters around the islands create habitats for many different life forms. Eelgrass beds provide shelter for small fish, which in turn attract larger predators. In open clay and sandy bottoms, different species of flatfish can thrive.
On Vendelsö there is a picturesque old windmill from 1876 that bears witness to the island's agricultural history. The mill is no longer in use but is open to the public to visit. Human influence on the island goes back a long way. Ancient remains in the form of cairns dating back to the Bronze Age have been found on the main island.
We at Treefling think it is important to spend time in the wilderness, take care of our nature and treat yourself to a hike in the beautiful nature reserve, the Vendelsöarna nature reserve.
Image credit: GreenYoshi / CC BY-SA 3.0. AndreasTrepte / CC BY-SA 2.5
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