Monday the 15th we drove from Bromsehus, near Kalmar, to the island of Oland. Oland is a large island, perhaps 75 miles long, about 4-5 miles off the main coast of Sweden, connected by an enormous bridge. We thought it would be largely resorts and condos, given its position, but it was almost entirely agricultural. It is literally littered with megaliths, most bronze age or later, but still impressive. The island itself is a large limestone uplift, and its middle ridge is much like the Burren in Ireland, although not quite so desolate. The east coast of Oland is especially interesting where you can see the uplifted limestone plates right out of the sea. Oland has some 400 windmills; in the 19th century, there were 2000. And linear villages (all buildings in a line along the road); and tons of megaliths.
400 windmills, many in rows like this
Typical Oland megaliths; they were everywhere
Oland east coast; almost completely deserted
A re-built iron/stone-age fort; we thought it looked too much like Medieval Times and so didn't go in
Another day, another ship-shaped stone circle, one of four we counted in the immediate vicinity
Vicki by the ship circle
Tall Oland menhir
A real bronze/iron-age fort, un-reconstructed
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