On our trip through Sweden, we stopped overnight to camp at Kalmar County to see two things; the Rumskulla Oak or Kvilleken, and the Norra Kvill National Park. Sweden is world renown for its abundance of trees and this park promised us a close look at some old growth forests, which are rare this far south in Sweden. Not only did we find old growth forests, but large areas of moss covered rocks, a lake covered with lily pads, and heather flowers. It is a truly magical spot.
Norra Kvill National Park
Norra Kvill is located in the highlands of Småland. It was established as a national park in 1927. As one of Sweden’s smaller national parks, this area was saved because it contained mostly undisturbed forests, a rarity in southern Sweden where the timber industry had really taken hold. The general age of the forests here are approximately 150 years old, but there are some older trees that are approaching 400 years in age. The primeval forest here is mostly made up of coniferous trees, such as spruce and pine. The pine trees are generally older here, but the spruce giants dominate areas with new growth.
One of the lovely things about camping is that it ensures that you wake up earlier. During our stay, we got to the trailhead at 6:30 in the morning. The trees and leaves were weighed down with the morning dew. We had the place all to ourselves. The only sounds we heard were the natural ones.
Stora Idgölen
There are several lakes at Norra Kvill. Lake Stora Idgölen is the largest one, and the one that the red trail circles around. Here you will find lily pads, frogs, ducks, and as we witnessed so early in the morning, a lovely fog rising up from the water. Also known as Troll Lake, Lake Stora Idgölen offers visitors a little bit of that lovely magical feeling that the wildlands of Sweden seem to have in abundance.
Idhöjden
We hiked to the top of Idhöjden, a crescent ridge that descends from the top of the ridge to Lake Stora Idgölen below. At 148 feet above sea level, this summit is easily doable for people of all ages, and offers a wonderful view of the park below.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a patch of heather flowers growing at the mountain summit. Since that is my name as well, I made sure we took a picture together.
Boulders with Carpets of Moss
Throughout the park, we saw boulders of various sizes dotting the landscape. The boulders were dug out of the ground by glaciers during the last ice age. After the ice retreated, the glaciers were dropped and left behind in their current locations.
I hail from the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, and am no stranger to moss covered rocks. At Norra Kvill, moss covered rocks is an understatement. The moss is so thick that it literally carpets the canopy floor. The depth of moss attests to the undisturbed nature of the park. Moss is a slow growing plant, and for centuries, has been left alone to grow as it will. To avoid stepping on it as much as I could, I found myself hopping along the trail in some places.
Where is it Located?
Norra Kvill National Park is located just southeast of Ydrefors in Kalmar County, Sweden. To get there, you take route 814 south from Ydrefors and then take several lefts off of unnamed roads. I do suggest bringing a map with you to find it, in case your GPS can’t find it.