The Historic Windmill of Ulseröd

In the hamlet of Ulseröd, north of Grebbestad on the Swedish west coast, stands an old windmill. Perched on its hill and with its Falun red facade, it is visible from afar. However, it is not as old as the architectural style of a Dutch windmill might suggest. This windmill only dates back to the early 20th century.

This most modern form of windmill, also known as a cap windmill, became widespread in Europe from the 16th century onwards. A cap resting on the tower of the mill is movably mounted and can be optimally turned into the wind. The sail shaft with the sails is also attached within this “cap”. The beam attached to the outside, at the rear, is used for manual rotation and fixing of the cap.

This type of mill is widespread; I had visited a similar one just a few days earlier in Mollösund. From the mill’s location, naturally built on elevated ground, there are beautiful views of the pasture, forest, heath, and rocky landscape, as well as the nearby Tjurpannan nature reserve.