Where? Fulltofta Length: 10 km. Difficulty: Moderate

This hike follows Skåneleden Trail’s sub-trail SL2, the Nord-sydleden Trail, along Åke’s Circular Path in the Fulltofta recreation area nestled in the heart of Skåne. Get off the bus at the Fulltofta naturcentrum bus stop and make your way to the Nature and Visitor Centre.

The Fulltofta Nature and Visitor Centre is beautifully situated in greenery next to a small pond. The site is the former location of the Kvarröds Gård farm, first mentioned in 1560 when it belonged to the Fulltofta Säteri manor. The home itself burned down in a dramatic fire in 1973. Today, all that remains of the original farm is the barn and the stables.

The Nature and Visitor Centre opened in 2006, and has a shop, a café and exhibits. In the spring and summer in particular, the centre hosts a number of different activities, such as hikes, quiz walks and guided tours. At the Nature and Visitor Centre, there are toilets and drinking water available to the public around the clock. There is also a wind shelter a few hundred metres north.

Once you have started your hike northwards from the Nature and Visitor Centre, you will come across Hällekistan, a three-metre grave made up of six slabs or rock. The stone grave is probably from the Late Stone Age, but this type of grave was also used in the early Bronze Age. The dead were buried without burning, and the slab graves were used for multiple burials.  

After Hällekistan, you will reach Store Damm. This vast pond was recreated as part of a wetlands project from 2002 to 2006 with the help of old maps. Store Damm was drained just before 1920. Prior to that, it supplied hydropower to small-scale industries in the area.

The pond was drained so that spruces could be planted, but the majority of these were downed by Hurricane Carola in 1999. Even today, dead trees can be seen rising from the water. The wetland covers about 14 hectares, with the actual water area amounting to 11 hectares. The water level of the pond is regulated by means of a “monk”.

You continue along the road Vasahusvägen, where there used to be several buildings called Vasahus. In the 1700s, Vasahus was just a side cottage. Over time, this was converted into a greystone house with thatched roof, and in 1927 a modern building was built opposite. The site is the former home of the Stål family, whose seven children walked down to the St. Magnhild’s Spring, where the school was located. The family moved from the site in 1939, and a few years later the house burned down.

Today, all that is left of Vasahus is stone ruins, but in the summer you can see the remains of the garden in the form of fruit trees, berry bushes, hazelnut bushes, and white lilacs. Take some time to walk around, explore the ruins and think about the intense family life that played out in what is now such a desolate place. Nowadays, snakes are really enjoying themselves under the stairs…

Near the spot where the circular path turns towards the east, you will find the finest spring in the Fulltofta area – Hanakällan – with a bottom of white sand. The water tastes unusually good, and it’s common for people to come here to fill up their water bottles. In addition, legend has it that the water has miraculous powers.

You are now almost back at the Fulltofta Nature and Visitor Centre and can get on the bus at the same bus stop as before or hike down to Hörby, which has good connections for getting to Lund/Malmö.