Fulltofta recreation area.

Beautiful pasture area in Fulltofta.

The Scanian Landscape Foundation operates some 20 recreational areas around Skåne and Fulltofta is one of them. These areas offer something for the whole family including hiking, fishing, canoeing, swimming, riding, bird watching or simply enjoy the nature with your own picnic basket. The Visitor Centre is modern and welcoming with its friendly staff, coffee shop and exhibition. For overnight visitors there are two cottages for rent. This area is one of the oldest still displaying clearance cairns and ruins of crofts from times when the ara was inhabited and farmed. Some ancient fields and clearance cairns are said to be dating from the stone ages (www.skanskalandskap.se) . There are ten marked footpaths available out of which three are suitable for wheelchairs! Out of these tracks I choose Bäckaslingan that circles around the VisitorCenter and spent all afternoon there. But you could also choose the Nature and Cultural History path or the Tree Walkway that would take you up among the tree tops and over a ravine. 

A sample of the vegetation in Fulltofta.

Bäckaslingan runs largely through forests with beech, oak and fur trees in varied intensity. Some areas are demanding for a photographer but the open glades and pastures are really beautiful and photogenic. The fields needed to be cleared of stones in the past and hence there are round pole fences everywhere. The smaller the stones the older the fence as tools in the early days where simple. Fulltofta became more densely populated in the 17th century and many fields date from those days.

Dandelions in the fields.

Macrophotography is a real challenge as it takes a lot of concentration and patience. A tripod is a must normally. However, like with the above pictures, there may not be space for a tripod in which case support must be obtained by other means. In this case suport came from a stone, but as you can see out of four pictures two are still not sharp enough. Still, the macro world is interesting and something our eyes often fails to see. 

Fulltofta streams and ponds.

Strolling in the woods will often lead you to small and winding streams where the sun hits in selected places giving photographic opportunities to play with shadows. Birdlife seemed rich at the end of the above pond. Other animals was a hawk taking off when I arrived, beetles on the ground and geese flying high in the sky following their traditional route. We do not want to talk about large black, white or red snails that nobody wants in their garden. My day was finished with a drink and sandwiches before driving back north. Next time is reserved for the other mentioned footpaths.

Beautiful Fulltofta!

Fulltofta was an excursion while waiting for the massive Kristianstad 400th anniversary starting tomorrow, Thursday. Stay "tuned" for more news.

:-)