This blog post was written by our student ambassador Ana, who is a student of the semiotics programme at the University of Tartu.
Spring has sprung once again in Estonia. Days are longer, the weather is sunny and beautiful (well, most of the time) and it’s an ideal time for some relaxing and refreshing outdoor activity to take the mind off the constant studying and preparing for the exams. How about hiking then? Estonia has so many hiking trails which allow you to discover the natural wonders such as forests, bogs and lakes and it’s a healthy and productive way to spend a spring day. In this blog, I will share my stories and adventures on hiking trails, hoping to inspire all the walking and nature enthusiasts to step into the hiking trails and experience the nature of Estonia and get to know more about the hidden treasures of Estonian forests and valleys, as nature is one of the traditional symbols of Estonia. I hope you will enjoy my blog and go for a hike as well.
Kiidjärve-Taevaskoja hiking trail
Last year, during springtime, I went on a field trip to Kiidjärve. It is such a beautiful small place in Estonia famous for the giant anthills, the cross of Saint George which inspired the building of the church in Kiidjärve and, of course, the wide and majestic lake Kiidjärve in which I swam. The water was so amazing! But, more amazing was the hiking trail from Kiidjärve to Taevaskoja. It is a 6 km hiking trail. Now, I have been to Taevaskoja before, but walking to Taevaskoja would be such a great experience, so I decided to go for a hike. It was, by far, my best decision ever! The hiking trail and the forest leading to Taevaskoja are like fairy tales. The trail is marked by painted symbols on trees and signs pointing in the right direction. There were also the boards on which local legends and tales were written; such as the tree which was struck by lightning because it was believed it was possessed by a witch and about a pile of rocks put on a road to scare off the witches. I encountered those piles on the road and they were so cool. The hiking trail reminded me of the hill because I had to climb up and down a lot, which is a bit unusual for a hill and a mountain-free Estonia. The hike was so amazing and inspiring, the forest was breathtaking, and the view of the canyon was gorgeous. Everything was perfect, but the only thing that annoyed me was the pesky mosquitos. Next time, I am bringing a bug spray. When I finally arrived in Taevaskoja, I started singing ‘’Viimne reliikvia’’ song from the same movie, as ‘’Viimne reliikvia’’ was partly filmed in Taevaskoja. I was once again enchanted by the beauty and legends of ‘’Estonian Grand Canyon’’ known as Taevaskoja.
Aegviidu to Nelijärve hiking trail
Aegviidu is known as ‘’the hiking trail capital of Estonia’’ as it has so many hiking trails leading to various nearby places. I went on an autumn field trip to Aegviidu last year. Aegviidu has a beautiful bog called ‘’Sooriksoo’’ which I visited and which almost gave me a heart attack two times because I thought I saw a bear twice. The first time, it was a giant cardboard cut of a bear, but because I wasn’t close enough to it yet, I thought it was an actual bear. The second time, while I was deep in the bog, I saw a person all in brown picking berries, and again, since I wasn’t close enough, I had mistaken them for a bear. After the thrilling and chilling adventure in the bog, I took the 4 km hiking trail which led to Nelijärve. The road and the forest were breathtaking as well, but then my breath was taken out of fear because I heard something in the bushes and saw something big and white behind the trees. I was so frightened! I thought I was going to encounter a monster, or even worse, my mother!
I stepped forward as my heart was pounding like crazy and then a sigh of relief came. It was only a lake. Silly me! Frightened by a beautiful lake! Of course, I wanted to swim in it, but then I remembered it was the heart of autumn. I continued my hike calmly stress and fear-free, enjoying the serene forest until I came to Nelijärve. Nelijärve is a small place and vacation resort with a nice lake and a forest park. I sat by the lake and took a walk around the forest park. Then I went to the train stop, happily waiting for a train back to Tartu and being grateful for an amazing and adventurous day.
Well, that’s it from me and my unforgettable hiking moments. I really encourage you all to have your own adventures on hiking trails, as the nature of Estonia is a true gem and it’s a great and healthy way to spend a free day.
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