My favorite nature reserves in Linköping

Hello again!

This week I am back and I’ll be writing about one of my favorite things, nature reserves! If you are an international student, you likely chose to study or live in Sweden because of its incredible nature. Everywhere in Sweden, you can find the most beautiful lakes, forests, beaches, meadows, grasslands, national parks, and nature reserves. Linköping is also one of these places (although sometimes you have to actively look for them ;).

Linköping municipality has about 30 nature reserves, which are managed either by the municipality itself or by the County Administrative Board of Östergötland, which is the province Linköping is located in. Some examples of these nature areas are; Vidingsjöskogen, Vallaskogen, Ullstämmaskogen, and Sturefors naturreservat. Some of these are reachable by foot/bike from the city center and some are reachable by bus or you need a car. In this blog, I will talk about my 3 favorite nature reserves:

1. Tinnerö eklandskap

If you read our blogs regularly, you might have already heard about Tinnerö eklandskap. It is one of the biggest nature reserves that is reachable by bike from the city center of Linköping, and therefore also very popular. Tinnerö is located south of Linköping and it is a 20-30min bike ride from the centre, and even closer to Campus Valla. The nature reserve is characterized by oak trees, forests, and wetlands with a lot of wildlife (mainly birds). There are plenty of hiking trails, information signs, fireplaces, viewpoints, and fun bridges to walk over. It is beautiful all year round, but my favorite season to visit is definitely fall. Most forests around Linköping are characterized by Pine and Spruce trees but in Tinnerö there are also a lot of leaf trees that color a burning red/orange in fall. It is truly beautiful, and I recommend going here for a walk, a day hike, a bonfire evening, or just hanging out in a tree ;)!

2. Kärna Mosse 

Yesterday, I visited Kärna Mosse for the first time actually. I’ve heard about it, but because it is quite small and in an area where I don’t come too often, I didn’t go before. However, it is very close to where I and most international students live, which is in Ryd. It was only a 10min bike ride and I would say it is definitely worth a visit! Kärna Mosse is a small nature reserve North/West of Linköping. It is one of the most well-known limestone swamps of the province. In this small area, there are a lot of different ecosystems and different types of forests. The swamp also contains an impressive diversity of orchids. There are a few hiking trails you can walk, but within an hour you have seen almost everything. So, it is perfect for a half-day hike or just to have a chill day out in nature. What I really enjoyed were the wooden plank bridges they built, which are a lot of fun to walk over. I also saw 3 snakes just chilling alongside the path. Now, in spring, the reserve is full of birds and it is beautiful to see that the first trees and other plants are starting to blossom. Therefore, I think now is the time to visit!

3. Viggeby naturreservat

Located a little further away from Linköping, we have Viggeby naturreservat. I’ve been here a couple of times and this is for sure my favorite nature reserve if you want to get out of the city and experience nature in a fun way. Viggeby is a large nature reserve South of Linköping, it is easily accessible by bus and it only takes 30min! It is located around a big lake which makes summer the best time to visit, as there is a beach and the water is perfect for a dip. You can also rent kayaks here and explore all the big and little islands that are in the lake. You can expect large leafy deciduous forests, grazed meadows, sun-warmed coastal cliffs, and magical conifer forests. Besides that, the reserve has multiple shelters and fireplaces where wood is provided (most of the time).

Those were some of my favorite nature reserves in and around Linköping :). I hope I inspired you to go out in nature and explore Linköping’s surroundings.

Talk to you next time!

/ Fleur, Master of Science for Sustainable Development

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