The Ökull-Bor­re­går­den natu­re reser­ve is loca­ted to the far south of the Val­le district. The lands­cape here is rolling and vari­ed, fea­tu­ring hills, ridges, and small lakes.

This distin­cti­ve lands­cape was sha­ped by the last ice age and is an examp­le of a so-cal­led kame lands­cape. When the ice mel­ted after the last ice age the cli­ma­te sud­den­ly beca­me col­der for some time. This inter­rup­ted the mel­ting of the ice, and the ice mar­gin remai­ned sta­tio­na­ry over the same area for a long time – right here in Val­le. Lar­ge rivers of mel­t­wa­ter car­ri­ed mas­si­ve amounts of gra­vel and sedi­ment. Ice­bergs of vari­ous sizes were also sub­mer­ged in the gra­vel. When the­se mel­ted, they left behind pits in the lands­cape, known as kett­les or dead ice pits.

Sedi­ment was also depo­si­ted in cracks on top of the lar­ge blocks of ice and later for­med kames (hills) in the lands­cape. Under­ne­ath the ice, run­ning water cre­a­ted ridges of sto­ne and gra­vel known as eskers. All the­se land­forms and many others cre­a­ted the founda­tion for the rolling lands­cape and diver­si­ty we see today.

The area can be reached from both the Val­le Holi­day Vil­lage to the west and Varn­hem to the east. If you walk from Varn­hem you will see a lar­ge kett­le that is almost per­fect­ly round. It is a per­fect pla­ce for a picnic! 

Show on map