a full day on northern Öland

A few days ago we spent a full day on northern Öland, and had a truly wonderful day that stays in our memory like sunshine!

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 the nature differs from southern to northern Öland, and how the same island can look so different depending on where you are.

Neptuni Åkrar is what is called a shingle field with large limestone boulders at the bottom by the water.

The place was named after the sea god Neptune, actually by Carl Linnaeus when he was here in 1741 for a stroll.

Neptuni Åkrar is what is called a shingle field with large limestone boulders at the bottom by the water.

The place was named after the sea god Neptune, actually by Carl Linnaeus when he was here in 1741 for a stroll.

It's not just Gotland that has raukar! Just like Neptuni Åkrar, Byrums raukar is a nature reserve, and here you may be lucky enough to see quite a few fossils.

Once you have been to the Raukarna, the old coastal road that runs along the water is the most beautiful route imaginable to travel on.

The road is several hundred years old and stretches thirty kilometers down to Äleklinta. Here it is especially 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 from a vending machine! If you don't have your own bottle, you can buy a glass bottle on site. I also took the opportunity to buy farm eggs 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.

Sightseeing makes you hungry, and after we (most reluctantly on the part of the children) said goodbye to the farm cat, we headed on to Ninni's body cookie shop.

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

Ninnis Kroppkaksbod is located at Källa and is open all year round, and the potatoes for the kroppkaks 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 about the ice cream at Gelato & Biscuits, and it was truly among the best I've ever tasted! The mint stracciatella and the 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 harbor and one in the harbor in Byxelkrok.

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

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

In the evening before the girls went to sleep, we asked them what had been the best part of the day, and they were unanimous in their answer: getting to pet the cat at the farm where we bought milk.

/ Helena Elm July 2020