Kullaberg Nature Reserve

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Running hiking trails in Kullaberg Peninsula in Skåne

A few years ago we visited an art installation called Nimis in Skåne District in Sweden. We will tell more about Nimis further down because it is an interesting story hiding there. This year over Easter we had the chance to revisit Kullaberg and we now also had time to see more of the nature reserve. We combined the visit in the nature reserve with training so we hope you are OK with seeing photos of us running.



Through Kullaberg Nature Reserve there are many hiking trails. The ones we followed were easy to walk and clearly marked. You walk those routes primarily to experience nature. Apart from nature there are a few other things you can do/places you can visit:

• Mölle - a seaside resort with long traditions. Mölle is small and, like seaside resorts ususally are, very picturescue.

• Arild - another classic picturesque seaside resort.

• Kullen Lighthouse - if you are interested in lighthouses Kullen Lighthouse is, at 78 meters above sea level, the highest lighthouse in Sweden. If you are not so interested in lighthouses you can instead enjoy the views from it because they are spectacular.

• Nimis - an art installation on the north shore of Kullen Peninsula. Nimis is created by the artist Lars Vilks and is built mainly from driftwood. Nimis consists of labyrinths and several towers and, since it is climb-able, it is just as much a playing ground as a work of art. Children really love it.

Nimis is part of a self proclaimed micronation called Ladonia and Lars Vilks sees the micronation and Nimis as a part of the same art project. Near Nimis Lars Vilks has also created a stone and concrete sculpture named Arx and in the area he also used to have yet another sculpture named Omphalos.

The construction of these art installations has from the start been a controversy since they were set up inside a nature reserve. It is against the regulations of the reserve to build anything there without permission. Since no permission was ever granted to Vilks before he started creating Arx, Nimis and Omphalos the artworks were put there illegally. A court decided that Omphalos should be removed, which was done in 2001 but Arx and Nimis were permitted to remain in place. Today only Arx and Nimis remains to be seen.



We spent three days in Kullaberg on this trip. On two of those days we were blessed with great weather and we could explore the hiking trails. On one of the days the weather was less good (read: it was snowing horizontally. Yes, snow can actually fall sideways!) and that day we mostly spent indoors.



We have added photos from various sections of the trail. Here and there you can see that it is steep. In two places it was actually so steep that park rangers had set up ropes so hikers could safely climb up and down. It wasn't dangerous though as long as we were careful where the terrain was a bit of a challenge.

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Photos

Lake in a clearing
This year over Easter we had the chance to visit Kullaberg and see the nature reserve.

Emma running down a hill
We combined the visit in the nature reserve with training so we hope you are OK with seeing photos of us running.

Emma running down another hill
The trails were good and easy to follow

Emma using a rope to get down a steep hill
In two places the trail was so steep that park rangers had set up ropes so hikers could safely climb up and down.

Wall in the forest
Deep in the forest we came across this old wall. We have no idea why it is there. This place probably wasn't in the middle of a forest when they built it.

Nimis
Nimis is an art installation on the north shore of Kullen Peninsula

Trace of a fire
Nimis was attacked by arsonists a few months before we visit it

Nimis
Nimis is created by the artist Lars Vilks and is built mainly from driftwood.

Nimis
Nimis consists of labyrinths and several towers.

Arx
Near Nimis Lars Vilks has also created a stone and concrete sculpture named Arx

Arx
The construction of these art installations has from the start been a controversy. They were set up inside a nature reserve and it is against the regulations to build anything there without permission.

Nimis
Since no permission was ever granted before Arx and Nimis were created the artworks were put there illegally.

Nimis
In court it has been decided that Arx and Nimis were permitted to remain there

Nimis
Nimis is part of a self proclaimed micronation called Ladonia and Lars Vilks sees the micronation and Nimis as a part of the same art project.

Emma running a flat section near Arild
Arild is a classic picturesque seaside resort.

Ake running down a steep slope
Another steep slope. There were quite a few of those

Ake climbing Nimis
Since Nimis is climb-able, it is just as much a playing ground as a work of art. Children really love it. And middle aged men too

Spring flowers
Emma says "Hello" to the earliest spring flowers

Mölle
Mölle a seaside resort with long traditions. Mölle is small and, like seaside resorts usually are, very picturesque.

Ake playing in the foam
It was a windy day and the waves in the ocean beat up foam

Kullen Lighthouse
Kullen Lighthouse is, at 78 meters above sea level, the highest lighthouse in Sweden

Emma running an easy stretch of the trail
The flat stretches are easy to run along

The feet picture
The traditional after run picture of our feet

Comments

[Rainyb]

Accidental art?? LOL

[Rainyb]

Interesting! Someone had a lot of patience?

[Rainyb]

Amazing! They would be tourist attractions, that's for sure!!

[Ake Och Emma]

Many visitors
To reach Arx and Nimis you have to walk for about 2 km some of it is rough terrain. Still maybe 10,000 people visit the site every year. As a provokation this art installation was a great success. The authorities were forced to condemn the fact that Vilks has created it illegally in a nature reserve. The same people who as part of their job tried to stop him, if you asked them off the record, would admit that they loved it and didn't want it destroyed at all. Ake

[Rainyb]

Loved it!

[Shanghai Sheri]

Emma running a flat section near Arild
This is just how I imagine Swedish countryside. Thanks for sharing this part of the world. Reminds me of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.