Neptuni Åkrar (Fields of Neptune) - Byxelkrok, Öland, Kalmar Län, Sweden - Official Local Tourism Attractions on Waymarking.com

As early as 1741 Linnaeus visited what he called the "Fields of Neptune" (Swedish "Neptuni åkrar") limestone beaches in northern Öland and described both the area and the sparse vegetation. The bottom of the approximately 2 km long strip of beach was formed about 550 million years ago and contains many fossils. During the ice ages, stones were then deposited on the limestone plates by the ice and over the course of thousands of years they were ground round by the erosion of the waves of the Baltic Sea.

In addition to the limestone beach and the fossil imprints in the limestone slabs, the bird life is also worth seeing. In June and July, the flowering of the native flora also attracts many Swedes here. Also the Viking burial ground called Forgallaskeppet lies to the south of the limestone beach.

In 1975 the Swedish government declared the area a nature reserve, since then entry has been permitted, but taking fossils, minerals and plants with you has been forbidden.

The strip of beach is accessible to all free of charge at all times, but it is advisable to bring your own vehicle.

References
- Neptuni åkrar, website of the local tourism association "VisitÖland"
- Neptuni åkrar, flyer of the Swedish government (Länstyrelsen), PDF, 656kB
- Neptuni åkrar, Map of natures reserve on protectedplanet.net
- Neptune's Fields, Wikipedia

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