The other day when the August sun shone over Öland with its late summer light, we went for a trip to southern Öland. We drove the east side down all the way to the southern cape, and on the way we passed terraced villages, corn fields and fields with yellow straw bales and tall grass.
This particular field is adjacent to the township of Näsby. The old terraced villages often had a common meadow where winter feed was grown for the animals.
There are many nice terraced villages on Öland, and I especially like Näsby for the beautiful old stone houses.
During the Middle Ages, when the terraced villages were built, the houses were built in a row along a village street, and these small terraced villages are now part of the World Heritage Area of Southern Öland's Agricultural Landscape.
At the bottom of the southern tip we saw some woolly little friends taking shelter from the sun in the shade from the house in Ölandssten. One of the sheep came up and greeted us to the great joy of the girls.
Have you ever been to Långe Jan? Långe Jan is Sweden's tallest lighthouse at just over 42 metres. If you, like me, grew up on Öland, you have most likely been here with school as a child.
Coming back as an adult with your own children is extra fun. You remember how high up it was, and the breathtaking feeling of being at the top of the lighthouse and looking out over Öland's southern cape.
Even if it's a bit up, it's absolutely not difficult for the children to get up. Both Evelyn and Lily thought it was very exciting and climbed all 197 steps, and if there was anyone who was out of breath, it was probably more us adults.
Luckily there was ice cream, and it tasted extra good after walking up and down the lighthouse.
There is a lot to discover around Långe Jan. Here is also Ottenby Bird Observatory , where research has been conducted on birds since the 1940s, and here about 25000 birds are ringed per year.
There is also Naturum Ottenby with free admission, which is fun and educational for both children and adults.
Then it was time for food! This summer's favorite place for us has been Stenhusa Krog in Stenåsa on southeastern Öland, and luckily they are open until October. The hamburgers are super tasty, affordable and cleverly named after bird names.
I usually go for the burger Kejsarörn with cheese, bacon, pickled red onion and truffle mayonnaise, and the girls usually eat sausages with fries. Stenhusa Krog is run by the Halldén brothers, who have actually also published a cookbook together.
While we wait for the food, we always go for a walk in the Nature Bookstore, which is located in the same courtyard. Here you can buy most things that have to do with bird watching, but also a lot of other fun things such as gift items, books for both children and adults and nice things for the home.
The girls had campaigned all day to swim, so after we had eaten our hamburgers we turned down to Stenåsa beach for a swim.
It was lukewarm in the water as it often is in late summer, and after the bath the girls played for a while on the small playground located in a grove of trees just above.
So many wonderful days this late summer has offered! Late summer on Öland is really among the very best.
Helena, August 2020
