Welcome to the nature reserve Ersdalen on Hönö!
I offer different hiking tours for different needs and wishes. It can be bird watching, botany, rock formations, mindfulness or whatever you need.
Below you will find a description of the different tour types, booking and what you need to know before booking.
In the plant and animal world, we get to know new friends, in the mountains we marvel at shapes and patterns, and our senses can process the sound of the sea, the rush of the wind, magnificent views and the challenges of mountain hiking. During the tour, we pause for coffee and snacks, and if it is convenient, we can also take a quick dip in the sea during the tour.
Price for guided hikes:
650:- per person, minimum 2 persons, maximum 7 persons.
During May and until the end of June I offer a very special experience. Then you can book a "Cuckoo Night" - when many other species than just the cuckoo can be observed, or "Serenade Night" - when the same species sing their "nocturnal tribute song" (the meaning of the word serenade). During these tours we listen to the intense song of the newly arrived spring birds and learn to recognize the most common calls (e.g. the chaffinch's "Bi bi bi bi si si si si I'm a radio!"). If desired (optional), we will have a warming coffee under the canopy. These tours last 2-3 hours.
Price for cuckoo clock/serenade evening:
650:- per person minimum 2 persons, maximum 7 persons.
This is a form of therapeutic walking reminiscent of the Japanese 'forest bathing', Shinrin Yoku. It involves 'bathing' in the atmosphere of the forest. The form is a quiet communion with nature where you are sensitive to what all your senses register. Scents, sounds, colors, shapes, movement, tastes; everything in nature has an impact on you as an organism. Indeed, research shows that forest bathing indicates a physiological impact on you in the form of reduced stress, as measured by blood pressure, cortisol levels and heart rate. There are also indicators that the immune system increases, and your mental health is also affected, as you feel that you have more energy, increased zest for life and a better mood after a forest bath. In Ersdalens Nature Reserve we meet to take care of ourselves together with nature for about 3 hours. During the tour, we pause for a coffee or other refreshments.
Price for meditative hiking:
650:- per person minimum 2 persons, maximum 7 persons.
Rörö is the northernmost island in our municipality. In the nature reserve on the west side you can hike along spectacular shingle fields and on the way we can greet both grazing Icelandic horses and sheep from a distance. In the far north we can see the mighty Carlsten Fortress on Marstrand Island. From Västeräng it is about 5 km to paddle to Rörö. We take a coffee break on the way there and eat our lunch on Rörö before, during or after our hike, by agreement. The tour requires some paddling experience (10 km paddling). Remember to bring sturdy hiking shoes for this tour (3-7 km hiking).
We meet at the parking lot (unless otherwise agreed) and then gather for a while in the forest. The tour lasts 3-4 hours and is 3-5 km long. I like to guide based on different themes: during spring and summer we can stay in the forest and learn about bird calls and different plant species. We can also go out into the mountains and take a closer look at the shapes and types of rocks, different lichens and other plants typical of the rocky environment. Wherever we go, we can meet new 'friends' in nature. During the hikes, we focus more on spending time with nature with all our senses than hiking far and learning a lot.
This includes:
- Personal guide with solid knowledge of the area's unique nature,
- backpack with seat pad, water bottle
- list of common species in the area, pen
- garbage bag
- possibility to borrow binoculars, magnifying glass, flora, bird book and mosquito repellent,
- hand cleaning
TEXT TBD
The terrain requires you to wear a pair of sturdy shoes. Dress for the weather. Maybe you want to use hiking poles? Bring them with you! If you have your own binoculars, bird book or field flora, you can bring that too. And don't forget your swimwear if you get the urge... Since the tour only partially follows the beaten paths, it is not accessible, but it is possible to change the tour to follow graveled paths (albeit somewhat hilly). Just let me know if there are any requests for this in your group. Unfortunately, there is no access to a toilet in the nature reserve, but WC is available at Vandrarhemmet Havskatten in Hönö röds hamn (about 500 m from the start of the tour) if needed.
During the fall of 2022, I have upgraded my first aid skills with NOL's WFA (Wilderness First Aid).