Underworld

Just ten kilometres from central Kristianstad, Linnéa showed me around Balsberget nature reserve yesterday. Rising as a wooded bedrock hill above the flat agricultural landscape, it mixed magnificent old oaks with scattered boulders and stands of ancient woodland. With the weather shifting back and forth between blue skies and intense showers, we used my rain jacket as a shared umbrella, only to find ourselves moments later having coffee in the sun and taking in the sweeping views from the top. With 160 metres of elevation gain over six kilometres, I hope to return soon for a trail run, but what I found most fascinating was the world underneath.

One of the largest caves in southern Sweden, Balsbergsgrottan immediately caught my imagination, with some halls stretching twenty metres long and five metres high. Apparently, you can borrow a key during the summer months, so maybe I could make unexpected off-season use of my running torches.