a full day on northern Öland

A few days ago we spent a whole day on northern Öland, and had one of those really lovely days that sticks like sunshine in the memory!

Immediately after breakfast we went to Neptuni Åkrar which is located almost at the top of northern Öland just north of Byxelkrok.

Being there is almost like being abroad, and every time I'm there, I'm struck by how much nature differs from southern to northern Öland, and how one and the same island can look so different depending on where you are.

Neptuni Fields is what is called a shingle field with large limestone slabs at the bottom of the water.

The place got its name with the sea god Neptune in mind, actually by Carl von Linnaeus when he was here in 1741 and strolled.

Neptuni Fields is what is called a shingle field with large limestone slabs at the bottom of the water.

The place got its name with the sea god Neptune in mind, actually by Carl von Linnaeus when he was here in 1741 and strolled.

It's not just Gotland that has sea stacks, just like Neptuni Fields, Byrum's sea stacks are a nature reserve, and here you may be lucky enough to see a lot of fossils.

When you have been to the rauks, the old coastal road that runs along the water is the finest possible road to travel on.

The road is several hundred years old and stretches three miles down to Äleklinta. Here it is extra wonderful to cycle and walk, and enjoy the beautiful nature.

Then the girls wanted milk, and we went on to Österbo Gårdsmjölk which is located in Dödevi.

Here you can buy milk in a vending machine! If you do not have your own bottle, you can buy a glass bottle on site. I took the opportunity to buy farm eggs also for tomorrow's pancakes.

When we were about to leave, the girls met a cuddly little friend who they wanted to stay with for a long time.

You get hungry from sightseeing, and after we (most reluctantly from the children's side) said goodbye to the farm cat, we went on to Ninni's Kroppkaksbod.

Öland's national dish is undoubtedly dumplings, and here they taste extra good, as several awards in the White Guide over the years can attest.

Ninni's Kroppkaksbod is located at Källa and is open all year round, and the potatoes for the dumplings are grown on their own farm.

No excursion without ice cream! The next stop on the excursion was the port of Sandvik.

We had heard a lot of good things about the ice cream at Gelato & Biscuits, and it was really among the best I've tasted! The mint tracciatella and licorice were extra good.

The ice cream is made at Kaffestugan in Böda, and then sold at Gelato & Biscuits, which has an ice cream café in Sandvik's harbor and one in the harbor in Byxelkrok.

At the ice cream café in Byxelkrok you can also taste soft ice cream made from the milk from Österbo Gård that we visited on the way there.

We ate our ice creams while the clouds rolled in over the pebble beach.

In the evening before the girls went to sleep, we asked them what had been the best thing about the day, and they were completely unanimous about the answer; to pet the cat in the yard where we bought milk.

/ Helena Elm July 2020