Kinnekulle

Kinnekulle is a flat-topped hill of about three hundred metres capped with diabase, and under that cap lie limestone, alum shale, sandstone and gneiss in visible steps - the diabase protected the softer layers from erosion while the surrounding plain was worn down. Each layer supports different ground: alvar and juniper on the limestone terrace, oak and hazel lower, beech on one slope, spruce on the cap. The result is a hill people have been botanising on since Linnaeus, who visited in 1746. A hiking trail circles it, there are quarries, a twelfth-century church at Husaby below and a stone-cutting tradition in the villages.

The landscape

• Rock layers in visible steps - diabase cap over limestone and shale.
• Different vegetation on each terrace - alvar, oak, beech, spruce.
• A hill botanised since Linnaeus - who came in 1746.
• Old limestone quarries - and a stone-cutting tradition.

When to go

May to September; spring for the flora. A full day.

What to expect

The summit view is partly wooded. Trails are long and the circuit is a full day. Facilities are in the villages, not on the hill. Some quarry areas are still worked.

Nearby

Husaby church is below; Lake Vanern is west.

Key facts