spring excursion to Gråborg and Öland chocolate

Join Helena Elm and her family on an excursion to Öland's largest ancient castle Gråborg and cozy Öland chocolate in Färjestaden.

Last Sunday, when the spring sun was shining, we took the opportunity to go on an excursion here on Öland, to Gråborg, which is located near Algutsrum just outside Färjestaden.

Gråborg is Öland's largest ancient castle, and the oldest parts of the castle are believed to be from the 500th century. The adjacent ruin that many often associate with Gråborg is the ruin of Sankt Knut's chapel from the 1100th century. Inside the ruin against the highest brick wall is a bench, and there it was sheltered and the sun really warmed.

Not that anyone under the age of five was interested in sitting down and taking it easy in the sun on a bench, but the opportunity was there anyway.

Many small streams had formed in the ground, and although they offered no fish it was always fun to look for.

In connection with looking at the castle and the ruins of the chapel, you can choose to walk different loops in the nature of Öland. Jordtorpsåsen 4 km away is great throughout the spring with all different kinds of flowers, but this time we chose to go for a shorter round.

We brought sausages and bread and made a fire in the fireplace at the beginning of the loop.

Grilled sausage tastes best outdoors! Then it gets away with quite a lot, such as the sooty that occurs when the sausages occasionally slip down through the grill, which they always manage to do.

When we had eaten our sausage, we looked for puffins, and found both the one and the other fluffy little sippa bowing to the wind.

On the way from there, we bought a package of minced lamb from the farm shop which is adjacent to Gråborg, to have for tonight's dinner.

But before heading home, it was time for coffee! It had clouded over a bit, and a warming coffee break was on Öland's Chocolate near the Öland Bridge in Färjestaden was high on everyone's wish list. The only difficult thing is to choose. (Luckily the children have small stomachs so you can usually taste their leftovers.)

Chocolate balls, fine coffee and a cake with salted caramel in it was a hit.

So did the hot chocolate with marshmallows.

It was a really lovely excursion day, with history, beautiful nature, sausage grilling, spring flowers and coffee. Now spring is starting here on Öland, and I'm looking forward to a spring filled with weekends with excursions like this one!

// Helena Elm, 11 March 2020