Höjen­torp-Drott­ning­kul­len*

Höjen­torp-Drott­ning­kul­len is the lar­gest natu­re reser­ve in 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.

It is said that Drott­ning­kul­len (“the Queen’s Hill”) is so cal­led becau­se queen Ulri­ka Ele­o­no­ra stood here and wat­ched Höjen­torp Cast­le burn down in 1722.