Dense greenery alternates with open areas, nice and practical paths but at the same time also overgrown and rainforest-like. Vinberg’s nature reserve is exotic yet accessible. It’s a perfect destination for a family outing when you want to enjoy the sun fluttering through the treetops and adventures along the winding Vinån river.
In Falkenberg, there are 38 nature reserves, but only one has been decided by the municipality: Vinberg’s nature reserve. It was established in 2003 with the aim of “preserving the area’s high natural values while allowing the area to be used for recreation without threatening the natural values” and covers 14 hectares.
Taking a walk here on the wide trail is easy. If you feel a bit more adventurous, you can head down to the Vinån river that meanders through the reserve.
Upgraded Nature Reserve
The easiest way to experience Vinberg’s nature reserve is by walking the exercise trail that starts at the northern end of the reserve, at the end of Vinåvägen. In recent years, the area has been upgraded, including:
- Four new picnic tables.
- An old bridge over the Vinån river has been replaced with a new one.
- Two nature trails have been established along the Vinån river – Alslingan and Träskstigen (The paths are not adapted for the disabled; they are simple trails on natural ground. Some sections are planked, and at some places, you must pass stiles over fences. As the trails run very close to the Vinån river, it will sometimes be too wet to walk on the trails, so here visitors must follow the nature’s conditions).
- 10 informational signs about the natural values of the reserve have been installed along the exercise trail and paths.
- New entrance signs have also been put up.
Sweden’s Rainforest
Vinberg’s nature reserve consists of a ravine system where Vinån river and a tributary have cut down into the muddy sediments. The area can broadly be divided into a northern and a southern part. The northern part consists of alternating open and closed areas with a mixed deciduous forest crossed by an exercise trail. Through the southern part of the reserve, the Vinån river winds and is bordered by a wide belt of lush alder swamp forest with high natural values. The Vinån river may be hard to see when the foliage is dense. Wear good shoes if you want to go down the slope towards the river; once there, it’s quite wet. The reward is a magically jungle-like environment. Here, you might see woodpeckers, grey wagtails, and dippers.
The lush forest is a biologically valuable element in the open agricultural landscape that surrounds the nature reserve. The Vinån river also constitutes one of the reserve’s most important natural values. In the Vinån, there is a fine population of trout, and a rich fauna of day- and night-flies. Around the Vinån, bird life is also rich, and several demanding species have been noted, including hawfinch, lesser spotted woodpecker, grey wagtail, and dipper. In total, 77 bird species have been recorded in and around the area.
You can also fish in the Vinån river, which has one of the county’s richest populations of stationary trout. Read more about fishing here.
