Skytteskogen, Naturreservat

Skytteskogen is a lush broadleaf forest on the outskirts of Södra Sandby east of Lund. The forest is surrounded by farmland and is located on the northern slope of Romeleåsen. In the spring you are greeted by a lush grove flora with white anemones, yellow anemones and hollow nunwort. The area has long been a popular tourist destination in the village with traces of a dance floor, shooting range and a mill. The forest is similar to a natural forest in parts, with old and dead giant trees. The reserve has no facilities for outdoor recreation, but there are unmarked paths to follow. There is no parking. The easiest way to get here is by bus or on foot from the town.

Skytteskogen from above. Photo: Alex Regnér

On the slope of Romeleåsen

Skytteskogen is surrounded by fields on the south-eastern edge of Södra Sandby. The area is slightly hilly and is located on the northern slope of Romeleåsen. The difference in altitude between the upper and lower parts of the reserve is 40 meters. In the winter, when the trees are free of leaves, there are beautiful views of Vombsänkan.

Natural forest-like and with rich grove flora

Parts of the reserve already have a natural forest-like character and other parts have good potential to become so. The broadleaf forest consists mainly of beech, but there are also oak, ash, forest maple and lime. In the small valley there are plenty of old oaks (evergreen trees) and plenty of dead wood for the benefit of many wood-dwelling organisms. The field layer is rich in species with a grove-like vegetation. Here you can find wild garlic, witch hazel, woodland bengal, horsetail, wood sorrel, wood sorrel, lungwort and various sedges. Unusual mushrooms found in the area include the coral tag mushroom, the large tratticka, the southern sotticka and the exclusive species of the splendid tagging.

There used to be dancing in the forest

Skytteskogen has long been a gathering place where the people of Södra Sandby met for pleasure and recreation. At the beginning of the 1900s, a dance floor was built in the forest, which probably existed until the 1930s. According to information in the local history society's book about Södra Sandby, there were two different dance floors in the forest. The book describes how the rich danced on the 10-ear track and the poor on the 5-ear track. The orchestra stood in the middle and played for both dance floors.

Traces of shooting range and mill

In the early 1900s, a 300-meter shooting range was also built, which was in use until 1983. The shooting range was placed at the northern edge of the beech forest and is still visible today. In the larger of the two brook ravines in the eastern part of Skytteskogen there are also ruins of an old mill.

Outdoor life

Skytteskogen is located close to Södra Sandby and the village school. The area is therefore used extensively by both villagers and school activities. You can get here on foot from Södra Sandby or by bus via Torna Hällestad. The nearest bus stop is at the Måryd nature reserve parking lot, which is 400 m on foot from the eastern part of the reserve. There are several well-trodden nature trails in the reserve but none are marked. One of the paths leads to the road that crosses the area in the east.