Today we visited the Stora Fjället nature reserve, which is near Granvik. And it was an absolute feast for the eyes! It reminded me a little of Tiveden National Park, which is also nearby, but it was quieter and more “wild,” so to say. Trees that have fallen were just left where they were. Only the trees that had fallen on the path were removed so you could keep moving forward.
In general, Sweden is a perfect country for people who love mosses and lichen, but here their presence seemed even more pronounced. Different species grew next to each other, which appeared sometimes as if it was a mosaic of warm green, cool green, bright, and sometimes turquoise and even bright light orange like turquoise, a color that I could not have thought of if I hadn’t seen it before. Then add the bright sunlight to it… It becomes a paradise for natural green velvet lovers! But, moss is not the only thing to look for. In between those are lots of tiny crawling plants with small round leaves and those that stand upright, appearing as if they are hybrids of pine trees and moss.
Halfway through the walk we ran into a beautiful lake, which was situated at a much greater depth below. It was surrounded by Scots pine trees that stood very tall. And because of the depth, you’re basically standing halfway up the height of the tree trunks. Looking at a slight angle, the bright sky filters through the trees, and looking deep down, the water is so deeply violet! I would have loved to paint that, but I felt that my small-sized canvas wasn’t made for it. I would have liked a very tall, elongated one for that sight; then it could have worked. But there is no reason to be sad, because 90 degrees to the right I found this beautiful sunlit patch of lichen, mixed with moss and blueberry bushes, surrounded by large pine trees. So, I set up the easel on the rocks next to the lake and painted that.
