In the 25 hectare reserve there are plenty of trails that lead you through an exciting and unique nature. Walk next to the purling stream Örbäcken which is surrounded by ancient nature forests, experience the unique plant and wildlife or walk up on the boulder-ridge Mana, which is beautifully dressed in pine forests. Here, many trees are between 100 and 200 years old. Imagine if they could talk?
The purpose of the reserve is to conserve biodiversity and valuable natural habitats foreveryone to enjoy. Continued protection will let the unique natural environments be preserved and improved, whileparts of the area can also be made more accessible as rambling areas and school trip woodlands.
The reserve contains several different types of habitat. Many different species exist here and find room to flourish. You can find rare species such as the freshwater pearl mussel, creeping lady’s tresses, porodaedalea pini and asterodon ferruginosus. Mana Esker forms a natural boundary separating the reserve from the city. In places you will find snags. Snags are dead pines that stubbornly refuse to fall. The esker landscape in the eastern part of the reserve has both flat and rolling terrain. The landscape is home to a mixed forest of varying age. Örbäcken winds its way down a mighty ravine. Here and there it winds its way and meanders. The clear water is home to a viable stock of salmon trout. In recent years freshwater pearl mussels have been discovered here. The banks of the stream are lush with deciduous trees, and lofty spruce and pine. There is plenty of deadwood that serves as a valuable habitat for insects, fungi, lichens and mosses. Insects attract woodpeckers and dead trees provide nesting sites, for example, for the boreal owl. Some trees have fallen across the stream to form important hiding places for salmon trout, referred to as jams.
It is easy to find the reserve. The adventure begins behind Hagfors city hall. From here, follow the hiking trail that will take you up on the boulder-ridge Mana. Follow the ridge and the trail markings and continue down to Hagfors health center. Just above the health center there is a wind shelter where you can sit down and enjoy the beautiful view. If you continue over the bridge and down the stairs you enter the lush en enchanted natural forest where you can follow Örbäcken upstream to Stora fall (the Big Fall). Next to the road going up to Värmullsåsen, at the main entrance you will come to Lugna vattnet (calm water), where the stream stands still. Passing Görsjövägen, you will soon enter the part of Örbäcken where nature suddenly changes. The air becomes cooler, the forest gets darker and the pines are replaced by mountains. You are now at the Rocky Mountains. At Bäckkroken you will come to Lilla Fallet (the Little Fall). You can also take short easy walks around the ridge Mana - there are three bridges over the brook before the first crossing. There is also an adapted trail that has been made accessible for guests with disabilities.
