Sweden - Gotland in Spring

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1 Naturetrek Tour Itinerary 2011 Outline itinerary Black Woodpeckers Military Orchid Day 1 Day 2/3 Day 4 Day 5/7 Day 8 Fly Gotland, via Stockholm. Overnight Visby. Island excursions from Visby. At leisure, Visby. Transfer Stånga. Natural history excursions from Stånga. Fly London, via Stockholm. Dates Thursday 19th May - Thursday 26th May 2011 Cost 1,495 (London/London); 1,245 (Visby/Visby) Single room supplement 210 Grading Grade A. Gentle day walks only Focus Birds, plants and local culture. Mölnor Träsk Visby Images courtesey of Per Jobs Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0) F: +44 (0) E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W:

2 Tour Itinerary Introduction Gotland is Sweden s largest island and lies in the middle of the Baltic Sea off the country s eastern seaboard. It is a very special place: to Swedes, a place of special magic. For them it is an exclusive destination of unique scenic beauty and rare atmosphere, popular among Swedish holiday-makers in high summer yet virtually unknown amongst international tourists. Perhaps the magic comes from its down-to earth and hospitable people, or from the rare quality of the island s light, surrounded as it is by glorious beaches and endless seascapes, and blessed as one of Sweden s sunniest regions. Perhaps it is the island s rich history and cultural heritage which ouses from every settlement and corner of the island, or its quaint and timeless rural landscape of ancient meadows, woodlands, lakes and fens reassuringly scattered with the needle-like spires of medieval Gothic churches, the ruins of Viking forts and carved standing stones from a bygone age. Most probably the magic of Gotland comes from a combination of all these assets. For us, however, it is Gotland s rich treasure-trove of scenery, habitats and natural history that will most absorb us, and we have chosen the peak spring-time period to avoid the busier tourist season and to capitalize on an island blooming with rare orchids and abuzz with avian activity at its most intense! This is an isolated limestone island, once a coral reef, so it is no wonder that it has such a rich and unique flora, including 37 species of orchids, amongst them Lady s Slipper, Military, Marsh, Fly, the tiny Lesser Twayblade and Coralfoot Orchid, plus the rare endemic Spitzel s Orchid. Further, perfectly positioned in the middle of the Baltic to attract migrating birds, and with a wealth of habitats supporting a wide variety of breeding birds, Gotland also offers a rich birdlife. Species such as Barnacle Goose, Collared Flycatcher, Black Woodpecker, Eagle Owl and both White-tailed and Golden Eagles may be amongst the highlights. Although wildlife will be our primary focus, we will also enjoy a little of the island s history, architecture and culture where possible, for Gotland is among Sweden s oldest settlements, with some of the country s oldest and most fascinating historical sites. Its capital, Visby, is particularly special...and makes the perfect base for our first three nights. This uniquely picturesque medieval town with its encircling city wall, colourful squares, narrow and winding cobblestone streets and alleyways, and its large number of ancient stone and timber houses, churches and ruins, is of particular historic interest as it was one of the Hanseatic League s main trading hubs during the Middle Ages. Indeed, today, Visby has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Itinerary NB. Please note that the itinerary below offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverse weather & other local considerations can necessitate some re-ordering of the programme during the course of the tour, though this will always be done to maximise best use of the time and weather conditions available. Day 1 Thursday Gotland We depart London Heathrow for Stockholm mid-morning, using the scheduled service of SAS. On arrival we transfer to a 40 minute domestic flight to Visby on the island of Gotland arriving around 1830 hours. Here we will meet our guide for the duration of the tour and transfer the short distance to the Hotel St Clemens, an eco- Naturetrek September 10 1

3 Tour Itinerary Sweden - Gotland in Spring certified family run hotel within Visby s medieval city walls. This will be our base for the first 3 nights of the tour whilst we explore the surrounding countryside and the northern half of Gotland. Our central location will also allow you to explore Visby itself and roam the narrow streets and picturesque squares of this attractive medieval town, as well as sampling one or two of the local restaurants! Day 2 Friday Gotland, overnight Visby We will spend the first day on Fårö, the small satellite island to north of Gotland and home of late movie director Ingmar Bergman. Fårö is reached by a 50 minute minibus journey followed by a short ferry ride. On arrival we will explore a variety of habitats including the Baltic coast, the famous rock formations at Rauks, small lakes, woodlands and wetlands where we will look out for species such as Little Gull, Caspian Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, Garganey, Bittern, Marsh and Montagu's Harriers, Hobby, Nutcracker and both Parrot and Common Crossbills. There is also much to entertain the botanists including Snowdrop Windflower (Anemone sylvestris), the rare Eastern Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens) and Arenaria gothica. Weather permitting, we will enjoy a picnic lunch at Gotlands oldest and most photographed fishing hamlets, Helgumannen, and on the way back to Visby we will attempt to find one of the local Eagle Owls at one its favourite evening haunts. Once back in Visby you are free to explore the town and chose a restaurant for your evening meal. Alternatively, your guide would be happy to offer a recommendation or two. Day 3 Saturday Gotand, overnight Visby Following breakfast we make a 30 minute minibus transfer to Klintehamn where we board a ferry at around 0930 hours. Our destination this morning is the island Stora Karlsö, a second satellite island approximately 30 minutes away by ferry. This is the world s second oldest protected natural area; only Yellowstone National Park is older! Stora Karlsö is first and foremost known for its abundant bird life, in particular the colonies of Guillemots (around 6,500 pairs), Black Guillemots and Razorbills. The island is also home to an interesting variety of landbirds, however, including Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Red-backed Shrike, Red-breasted and Collared Flycatchers, Greenish Warbler, Thrush Nightingale, Golden Oriole and Ortolan Bunting. The major part of Stora Karlsö is a flat limestone plateau, intensively grazed by numerous sheep. The short cropped tuft they create is rich in plantlife, including lots of orchids, plus other interesting species such as blue-flowered veronicas, yellow-flowered stonecrop, fragrant thyme and many, many more. Lunch today will be taken in the local restaurant overlooking the sea. Stora Karlsö is a car-free island so we will spend today exploring on foot in the company of one of the island s local guides. The return ferry leaves the island at 1500 hours, and roughly half an hour later we make the transfer back to Visby where you can are free once more to spend the evening in the town or relaxing at the hotel. Day 4 Sunday This morning you are free to explore the medieval town of Visby at leisure. There is plenty to enjoy from interesting museums to just wandering the picturesque streets and squares admiring the architecture. Do not miss, however, the Visby Botanical Garden which will be in full bloom at the time of year. This weekend is also 2 Naturetrek September 10

4 Tour Itinerary the time for Gotland s harvest festival which focuses on asparagus and other early produce. Many of the local restaurants offer special dishes to celebrate the event. NB - For those of the group who would rather join an escorted walk today, your guide will offer a nature/culture walk starting directly from the hotel. This will include the Visby Botanical Garden, the beautiful Visby seaside promenade and Visby s closest nature reserve, Galgberget. Early to mid-afternoon, we will drive by minibus transfer for around 45 minutes to a lovely rural guesthouse in the village of Stånga close to a medieval church and within easy reach of the wildlife and countryside of southern and eastern Gotland. This will be our base for the final 4 nights of the tour and from now on all meals are provided from the hotel kitchen. All food is locally produced and if the weather is kind we may opt to eat outside. Day 5 Monday Today we make an early start to give us plenty of time to explore Lake Paviken Gotland s most interesting wetland/lake. Here we will be looking out for Garganey, Gadwall, Common Crane, Great Egret, Spotted Crake and the mighty White-tailed Eagle. If fortunate, we may even spot the greatest and smallest of the woodpeckers for both Black and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers can be found in the adjacent woodlands. The surroundings meadows, woods and marshes also hold an interesting variety of flowers such as Burnt Orchid and Elderflowered Orchid. We will have our lunch at Västergarn, a peaceful small harbour near a wetland where Avocet and Little Tern are frequently seen. On the way back to Stånga we will stop to search for Oxytropis pilosa, Alpine Butterwort and Sorbus meinichii. Back at the hotel there will be time to relax for a while or explore the local surroundings before dinner. At around 2100 hours we will round the day off with an evening birding excursion to series of nearby ponds home to an interesting variety of warblers, plus four species of grebe; Slavonian Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Little Grebe and Great Crested Grebe. As the light finally starts to fade we hope to be treated to the rasping crex crex call of the Corncrake..although seeing this elusive bird is another matter! Day 6 Tuesday Today we continue our exploration of Gotland by focusing on the varied habitats to be found on the eastern side of the island. These include the famous Gotland meadows, rich in plantlife and created by a traditional, low intensity, style of farming which has disappeared over much of Europe. We will also explore Torsburgen, an interesting patchwork of woodland and meadows created by a large forest fire almost 20 years ago and the flower-rich limestone pavement of the Alvar plains. Later in the afternoon we will visit the lighthouse at Närsholmen, which not only commands a beautiful position overlooking the Baltic Sea but is surrounded by an abundance of orchids. Among this day s botanical highlights we will be looking out for Gotland Pasque Flower, Eastern Pasque Flower, Scorpion Senna, Green-winged Orchid, Narrow-leaved Helleborine and rare endemic Spitzel s Orchid. Glancing up from our feet for a while Naturetrek September 10 3

5 Tour Itinerary Sweden - Gotland in Spring we also hope to see a wide variety of birds including Osprey, Avocet, Ruff, Collared Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Black Redstart, Whinchat and perhaps a few lingering Barnacle Geese or even a stray Red-breasted Goose. After a full day in the field we will return to our guesthouse in Stånga for a third night. Day 7 Wednesday For our final day on Gotland we focus our attention to the southern portion of the island, in particular the Sundre Bird Observatory and ringing station. Here we can learn about the observatory s work and watch the ringers in action. Its southerly location means the area is a magnet for migrating birds and so we will also spend plenty of time wandering the surrounding fields, woods and hedgerows in search of a variety of chats, warblers, finches, raptors - including Red-footed Falcon - and other birds tracking their way north. Following lunch at the bird observation tower in Stockviken, and before heading back to Stånga for our final night on Gotland, we will visit the museum of the world renowned bird artist Lars Jonsson and the beautiful gardens surrounding it. Day 8 Thursday Fly London Since our return flight does not leave Visby until mid-afternoon we have the morning to take a final stroll in search of a few birds or flowers we may have missed earlier in the week. Following lunch, we will transfer back to Visby Airport in time to catch our return flight to London Heathrow (via Stockholm) arriving around 2000 hours. Grading Grade A - Easy day walks and one evening excursion, (there s plenty of daylight at this time of year!). During our stay on Gotland we will be pursuing the format of a traditional natural history tour. No strenuous walking will be involved, though we will be spending plenty of time birding and botanising on foot. Weather Late May weather in Gotland is very much like that experienced the UK in late spring, it can be warm and settled but it can also be wet and changeable at times. Daytime temperatures typically range from the mid-teens degrees C to the low 20s degrees C, although it can be quite hot on occasion. Since rain and wind is also possible, Gotland is one of those places where you should pack for all eventualities! Clothing Please inspect the separate clothing list that will be sent to you on booking. Warm clothing may well be useful, but please also pack shorts and T-shirts! 4 Naturetrek September 10

6 Tour Itinerary Food & accommodation In Visby we stay in a small hotel within the city walls of this medieval town, the ruins of St. Clemens situated in the garden! All rooms have private facilities. In Stånga we use rural guesthouse beside a medieval church. Here only 5 twin rooms have private facilities (and are available at an extra 48 per person); all other rooms have shared facilities. All meals are included in the price of the tour except for dinners on Days 1-3 (to allow you to sample from the excellent selection of local restaurants in Visby) and lunch on Day 4. Please note that in common with most hotels in Visby, our hotel does not serve evening meals; restaurants are, however, only a short walk away. On the first evening of the holiday your tour leader will book a table at nearby restaurant for the whole group. On the evenings of Days 2 and 3 you are free to wander Visby at will. How to book your place In order to book your place on this tour, you will need to read the Naturetrek booking conditions carefully and then complete and return a booking form, together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday cost. If you wish to take out insurance with us please also include this with your booking. Should you have any questions about the tour, please call us on Receive our e-newsletter Join the Naturetrek ing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departures and new dates, tour reports and special offers. Visit to sign up. Naturetrek September 10 5