Lau: Cultural Trail, Coastal Paths and Birdlife

Lau combines an open agricultural landscape with a shallow sea bay, sites of cultural and historical importance, and paths through different types of landscape. If you would like to combine nature observation, swimming, physical activity and history, you will find several clearly distinct focal points here. Lau offers good opportunities for relaxation and swimming; at the same time, churches, mills, defensive structures and fishing buildings tell the story of the area's history.

Cultural Trails and Historic Buildings

The Lau backar cultural trail begins in the northeastern part of Laus backar. The cultural trail combines beautiful views with a narrative about the history of the settlement community. In the northern part of Lausbackar, an old cultural landscape with Gotland's largest system of enclosures has also been preserved. Near Bandeläins Täppu are Bronze Age ship settings, approximately 1.5 kilometres north of the church.

Lau Church displays several clearly distinguishable construction phases: the nave is Romanesque and dates from around 1200, while the chancel is Gothic and dates from around 1300. The church is known for its reverberation time of eight seconds. It has five entrances, each with its own significance. Lau kastal is a ruin from the 12th century; the ruins of a vicarage adjoin it on the east side. On Botvidebackar stands a hillfort believed to date from the Iron Age, with a moat and a bridge.

Botvide windmill is a post mill built in 1899. It was formerly used to grind grain into flour for the needs of the farm. Lau's six surviving windmills have been restored and are maintained by the local heritage association. Smiss kvarn has an unusual octagonal mill building clad in shingles and an onion-shaped cupola. At Masarbods fiskeläge is a restored old beach hut built using the bul technique, housing collections of simple objects from Lau's fishing era.

Östkustleden and Swimming Area

For active days, the section of Östkustleden in Lau is a destination in its own right. It runs along a dead-straight, approximately 1.5-kilometre-long shift road and passes through old forest, young forest and a biotope-protected forest. Östkustleden also leads to the swimming area in Lau, slightly south of Tutens fiskeläge. This section therefore connects different landscapes with a specific destination on the coast, without the individual stretches of the path having the same character.

Lausviken and Birdwatching

Lausviken is a very shallow sea bay that attracts large flocks of migrating birds in spring and autumn. The birdlife at Lausviken is of national interest. A birdwatching tower has been built in the beach meadow near the sea, slightly north of the mouth of the Närkån. Those who wish to experience the coastal area not only as a swimming spot but also as a habitat will find a particularly clearly defined connection with nature here.

Other Places with Visitor Information

Kluckartäppu is a summer visitor site with an information board, seating for breaks and a small wildlife pond. Lau Käldu has a spring house, a basin, an information board and seating for breaks; people collect water there for cooking and drinking. These places complement the larger cultural and landscape themes with specific points for spending time and finding one's bearings.

For further orientation, you can also explore Hejdeby, Eksta, Sanda, Klintehamn, Havdhem, När, Stånga and Fårö.

For the broader travel overview: Gotland.