The Åland landscape
Thousands of islands, harsh coastlines, smooth bedrock, lush forest meadows and windswept stunted pine trees. The Åland landscape contains many fascinating nature types and the proximity of the sea and the coast is very tangible on the whole island.
The landscape on the main island varies between pine forests with a great number of deciduous trees, ploughed fields and pastures and the forest meadows that Åland is known for. The climate in Åland is mild owing to the surrounding sea and that, in combination with the fertile soil, ensures a rich diversity of species both in terms of flora and bird life.
Red granite
The Åland bedrock's characteristically red granite is visible almost everywhere across the landscape, but especially along the coastlines and on the islands. The red granite is used as paving in Åland and this means that both winding gravel roads and tarmac roads have a reddish hue.
The countryside
The Åland landscape is possibly at its most spectacular in spring and early summer when the forest meadows more or less explode in an array of flowers. A forest meadow is like a mosaic of trees and open meadows. April-May sees hepaticas, wood anemones, lesser celandine, bird in a bush, landscape flower cowslip and different orchids flower. These are followed by flowers in strong colours such as wood crane's bill, red campion, buttercups and water avens. Tullarns Äng in Mariehamn, Höckböle in Geta and Ramsholmen in Jomala are all beautiful forest meadows to enjoy.
There is another landscape variation that has been shaped by grazing animals and can be seen in many places in Åland, especially on the archipelago islands. Where the ground is drier, junipers, bluebells, mountain everlasting, red clover and maiden pinks thrive. This landscape variation can be seen in the nature reserve of Herrön in Lemland and the Borgboda ancient monument area in Sund.
The archipelago
In the archipelago and along the coasts there are often sparsely vegetated pine forests with windswept stunted pine trees. The further out to sea you get, the less vegetation, and all the way out to sea there are only harsh skerries. On the small barren skerries only certain herbaceous plants grow. Sitting on a rock warmed by the sun with nothing but the sea and horizon in front of you, is a pleasant feeling you'll never forget.