#8 As the crow flies, Southeast Öland

Exciting deserted village, horrific history and a hidden cairn

1. The Way of the Crow Fish

The crow flies is a 50 km long stretch of coastline and thanks to its unique attraction is designated a tourist route, It runs through the heart of Öland's World Heritage Site from Gårdby in the north to Ottenby in the south. Along this beautiful road there is a rich selection of ancient castles, bird localities, rune stones, mills, churches, townhouses, hiking trails, nature reserves and much more.

2. Dröstorp deserted village

From Skarpa Alby there is a beautiful, winding alvar road that splits after a few kilometers. The left road leads you to Prästgropen and Torrör, while the right road goes to Dröstorp's deserted village. During the 1700s, Öland's population increased so intensely that there was not enough arable land for everyone. Many left Öland and Sweden for a life in America, while others were forced to seek their livelihood on the alvar's meagre and scarce soils. When the last dröstorcouple left the village at the end of the 1800s, the wooden residential buildings were moved to Skarpa Alby and Smedsgärde. The stone farm buildings were left behind and the ruins of them are still there. Today, Dröstorp's deserted village is an exciting excursion destination in all seasons, but perhaps mainly in the spring when the orchids bloom on the alvar and the lark trills in the sky.

4. The Priest's Pit

Out on Dröstorp's alvar is Prästgropen. It is a popular coffee place that protects against the alvar's winds. The pit probably formed when the roof of an ancient cave collapsed. According to legend, the parish's priest hid both the parishioners and the church silver in the pit during troubled times in the 1600s, hence the name.

4. Dry pipes

Torrör, also called Tornrör, is the largest and most powerful Bronze Age cairn on Dröstorp's alvar. The cairn is about 10 meters in diameter and has a cold-walled edge of wood chips in three shifts. Dry pipes were excavated in the summer of 1967 and several finds were found. After the investigation, the cairn was restored. You will find it on the alvar, but it is well hidden behind hazel and juniper bushes.

5. Sandby Castle

On Öland there are about fifteen ancient castles from the Iron Age. Excavations in Sandby Castle testify that this is a place with a horrific history. About 1,500 years ago, the inhabitants of the castle fell victim to a brutal massacre. The site and all the bodies were abandoned and the event fell into oblivion, until just a few years ago when excavations of the castle started. Sandby Castle is the only one of the Öland castles that is located right next to the shore. On the surface, it is not possible to see more than the fallen wall, but if you want to experience and see what the castle looked like, you can visit the reconstructed Eketorp Castle, which was contemporary with Sandby Castle and which is very similar to this in appearance and floor plan. The finds from the excavations in Sandby Castle are exhibited at Kalmar County Museum.

Marcus Carlsson

Cycling & hiking

Experience diverse Alvar landscapes with a rich flora and fauna, ancient castles, bird localities, rune stones, mills, churches and terraced villages.

Öland church safari
A round that takes you from church gate to church gate and along the route of 90 km you have time to pass no less than 11 churches.

Gösslunda - Tingstad Flisor
3.5 km hiking trail over alvar land, on paths and rocks. Here you will find many signs that humans have lived on the site for thousands of years.