"LINDÅS" a Lindås Travel Page by FletteMette

The Heathland Centre is located at Lygra, almost an hour's drive to the north of Bergen city centre. The area is beautiful, and very well worth a visit! More details in my "off the beaten path" - tip on the Heathland Centre, on my Bergen page.

The Heathland Centre is a knowledge- and experience centre focusing on the old cultural landscape of western Europe, and western Norway in particular. The oceanic heathlands are characteristic cultural landscapes which are now in danger of disappearing - and at the Heathland Centre you'll learn a lot more about this.

There's a network of paths in the Heathland Centre area, and it's a lovely place to go for a walk. "Wild" sheep, that stay outdoors year-round in this mild coastal climate, graze on heather in winter. Together with regular burning of heather, the grazing keeps the heathland under control: if the heather plants become too old or coarse, they loose much of their nutritional value for the grazing animals.

Old turf hut at the Heathland Centre area - the farmers used to cut turf for fuel, and the turf was stored in these huts. (Turf cutting involves removing the vegetation and the top few centimetres of soil.) There are several turf huts in the area.

Several burial mounds dating to the younger Iron Age are found in the Heathland Centre area. (not in this pic though, see my travelogue)