A cave in the park known as Mörkeklevsgrotta conceals a fresh spring that supplies clear, cold water to quench your thirst at most times of the year. The name Munkängarna (Monks’ Meadows) probably derives from the period before the 15th century, when Råbäck belonged to Vadstena Abbey. Nowadays the meadows have developed into groves of broadleaf trees.
In 1923, a section of the limestone cleft was declared a nature conservation site, and in 1972 the whole of Munkängarna was made into a nature reserve. The groundwater supply to the meadows has been modified and in the long term this unfortunately means that it will become drier and the vegetation will change. The flora of Munkängarna is very diverse as a result of nutrients from the underlying alum shale. Even on the lightest summer nights it is totally dark beneath the large trees in Munkängarna and you can barely see a hand in front of your face. The site is popular with tourists, as well as local people, and there are few places that rival its scenic beauty. What makes this area so special is that it is not only delightful in summer, but also in spring and especially in autumn, when the withering leaves transform into a riot of colours. It is quite simply a paradise for nature lovers and photographers.
Hitta Hit
