Nature

Your starting point is the Klåveröd Recreation Area, a little piece of wilderness right in the middle of Skåne. Before you leave, visit its strange rock formations and the Tranerödsmossen Bog, virtually undisturbed by humans, with its unique collection of plants. Then, follow the stony path alongside Dejebäcken Creek into Söderåsen National Park, with its deciduous forests and impressive scree slopes.

Catch your breath at Korsskär. Two creeks converge here and it is a truly peaceful place with a genuine wilderness feel, and a waterfall with a 5-metre drop nearby. At the heart of Söderåsen National Park is the Skäralidsdalen Valley. Here, species from the south, north and west meet, and this place is considered one of the most species rich areas in Sweden for trees, mosses and ground living fungi. Some 400 species have been found here.

At the bottom of the gorge, is Skärån River. Its character and strength vary greatly depending on season and precipitation, from slow meandering to a fast flow. Walking and hopping from one tussock or rock to another can challenge your balance. Be careful if the water levels are high. Brown trout, minnow and brook lamprey live in the river, and sensitive species of long-horned flies, dragonfly and damselfly have also found a retreat here. 

At the end of this section of trail, you arrive at the Skäralid Naturum Visitor Centre. In addition to the wealth of information in the exhibition that can help you make sense of what you see, you can also walk around the lake on a boardwalk – well worth the extra steps.

Cultural History

At the waterfall at Dejebäcken are the remains of Klåveröd Mill, used between 1875 and 1909, but the oldest remains in the area are the fossil fields with clearance cairns and stone walls, probably from the early Bronze Age.

Up until the 1700s, beech forest dominated the ridge, but livestock, the most important source of income for farmers, grazed the woodlands hard. After a while, only the sides of the valley had tree cover. All areas which could be used were used. Hay was grown on the valley bottoms and carried on farmers’ backs or by oxen or horse up from the valley floor. Offavägen, the road where you walk, built in the 1700s, made the job easier. On the edge of the valley, lay the farms of Lierna and Råröd, described in 1815 as the most destitute in the parish. One of the crofters from Lierna worked so hard on the valley slopes that he was nicknamed the "Lia ghost".

Don’t miss Kopparhatten Lookout. At 150 metres above sea level, it is the highest point in Söderåsen National Park, and the view out over the elaborate system of ridges and deep gorges is magnificent. Kopparhatten means copper hat. This may refer to the reddish granite bedrock in the area, or perhaps to the colour of the autumn leaves. But local legend has it that a Swedish soldier attempted to rape a young shepherdess here, but she managed to topple him over the precipice. The only thing left was the bronze helmet he had hung on a branch.