#8 as the crow flies, southeastern Öland

Exciting deserted village, horrific history & a hidden cairn

1. The Bird's Way

Fågelvägen is a 50 km long stretch of coast and, thanks to its unique appeal, is designated as a tourist route. It runs through the heart of Öland's world heritage from Gårdby in the north to Ottenby in the south. Along this beautiful road there is a rich selection of ancient castles, birdhouses, rune stones, mills, churches, row villages, hiking trails, nature reserves and much more.

2. Dröstorp deserted village

From Skarpa Alby there is a beautiful, winding Alvarsväg which splits after a few kilometres. The left road leads you to Prästgropen and Torrör, while the right goes to the deserted village of Dröstorp. During the 1700th century, Öland's population increased so intensively that the arable land was not enough for everyone. Many left Öland and Sweden for a life in America, while others were forced to seek their livelihood on the meager and scarce lands of the Alvar. When the last Dröstorpa left the village at the end of the 1800th century, the wooden residential buildings were moved to Skarpa Alby and Smedsgärde. The stone outbuildings were left behind and the ruins of them still remain. Today, the deserted village of Dröstorp is an exciting excursion destination in all seasons, but perhaps especially in the spring when the orchids bloom in earnest and larks chirp in the sky.

4. The Priest's Pit

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

4. Dry pipe

Torrör, also called Tornrör, is the largest and most powerful Bronze Age cairn on Dröstorp's elves. 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 survey, the cairn was restored. You will find it in earnest, 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 years ago, the inhabitants of the castle fell victim to a brutal massacre. The place and all the bodies were abandoned and the incident fell into oblivion, until just a few years ago when excavations of the castle started. Sandby borg is the only one of the Öland borgs that is located right next to the beach. 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 Eketorps castle, which was contemporary with Sandby castle and which is very similar to it in appearance and layout. The finds from the excavations in Sandby Castle are on display at the Kalmar county museum.

Fishing boat in Bläsinge harbor on Öland.

Marcus Carlsson

cycling & hiking

Experience diverse alvar landscapes with a rich flora and fauna, ancient castles, bird sanctuaries, runestones, mills, churches and terraced villages.

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

Gösslunda - Tingstad Chips
3,5 km hiking trail over alvar land, on paths and rocks. Here you will find many signs that humans have lived in the area for thousands of years.