Tåkern 150508 trip to Tåkern first day

Tåkern 150508-10

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© NF Photos 150508

Today I´m going to meet with a lot of woman. We have a network of female birders called "Rapphönan". Rapphöna is the Swedish name for Grey Partridge. (the word höna means hen in English, meaning woman only) It is a network that will make it easier for woman birders. It started a few years ago and now groups are popping up in many areas. What I am about to attend is a trip arranged by the main group. With woman from all parts of the country.

One reason for me to attend is the fact that I was born not far from this place, a town named Linköping,  but haven´t been there since childhood.

Tåkern is close to one of the largest lakes in Sweden. Vättern. It was restored a few years ago and a new visitor center was built. It was built of reed harvested from the lake. Tåkern has the largest reed area we know of  in Europe.

Well, I left my home after lunch. I wanted a good time to get to the hostel where we should meet.  It would take me about two hours to get there. First the drive was not that fun as they rebuild the road to those narrow fenced types and I hate driving in them. They say it is safer but I doubt it. 

When I got to the town Vadstena they were working on the streets too. I was redirected. That turned out to be good. I spotted the old Vadstena Castle. As I was early I decided to stop and take a look. So I was wandering around studying the castle trying to remember what I learned in school. They were, of course, restoring the castle too. Everytime I visit a castle they seem to work on them.

Finally I went on and headed for Borghamn hostel. I drove in Östergötland farmland now. We used to say "it is flat as a pancake" it is visible in the image.






I arrived at the hostel in late afternoon. Got my room and a bed and went out to explore. They have a lovely little pier with stony beaches and crystal clear water. I took a lot of shots of the waves before I went on to take a look at the meadows. 

The stony beach of Lake Vättern.

The little harbor at the hostel. Below.

At 18.00h we all met for dinner. 48 woman in all. Lots of talk and info. I know a few of them since before. 

After dinner we headed out on our first tour. First stop was a lookout over Vättern. 

We spotted a few swans and ducks on the water. 

To the right of this place was a house where a famous woman, Ellen Key, once lived. She had a very steep garden. I noted the setting sun glowing in the waves hitting the rocks.

Second stop was Alvastra Kloster ruin. The ruins of  a monastery for nuns. It was getting dark so we mainly listened for birdsong and was looking at the ruins. Finally we made a short stop in a reed area to listen to birdsong. 

Then we drove, a small dirtroad on Omberg, following the shore of Vättern back to the hostel for a nights sleep. As usual on birding trips it will be an early morning. 

Driving on Omberg with the sunset over Lake Vättern

Sky Watch Friday   COTW

Tåkern on NF Photo  

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Labels:    Resor, travel, trip, journey, Sverige, Sweden, sky, photo, photography, Monica Johansson, NatureFootstep, nfphoto, NF_photo, nature, natur, fågelskådning, birding, resa, travel,  Borghamn, Omberg, Rapphönan, Tåkern, Vadstena, Vättern, slott, castle, Ellen Key, Omberg, Alvastra, kloster, ruin,