Hovs hallar and Knösen: the Bjärekusten cliffs

From the large car park at Hovs hallar, where there are toilets and a hotel with a restaurant, follow the orange markers of the Skåneleden (SL1, Kust till kust) east. The county board describes the Skåneleden here as running through woods and pasture along the edge. The path climbs to Knösen, a little inland and the highest point of the Bjäre peninsula, and the last kilometre to the top is a spur you walk out and back. Then return to the junction, turn off on a smaller path down to the shore, and follow it west below the cliffs, close to the water, to the car park.

It is 5.7 km round with 142 m of ascent; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy: narrow paths of grass, earth and gravel, mapped as hiking paths, with one steady climb to Knösen and one short steep stretch of about 50 m on the shore path that OpenStreetMap marks as mountain hiking. The low shore path on the way back is the part to avoid in a gale.

The reserve is protected as a nature reserve and Länsstyrelsen Skåne manages it. Dogs must be on a lead; fires are not allowed in the reserve (the county board says there is no designated place for them); tents are banned and caravans may not be put up overnight; and you may park only at the designated places. The county board calls the path from the car park down to the rocky shore and the sea stacks (raukar) stony and in places steep; the way back on this line climbs from the shore to the car park.

The car park is marked as free on the map. The reserve's page says you can walk, cycle, take public transport or drive, and names no bus line, so look the journey up in the county's planner. The Skåneleden goes on west from the car park to Torekov: stage 17, 8 km and 2 to 3 hours on skaneleden.se.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.