BALTIC COASTAL HIKING ROUTE TOURS WWW.COASTALHIKING.EU LATVIA / ESTONIA TOURS WHAT CAN YOU FIND 11 12 IN THE BROCHURE TABLE OF CONTENTS TALLINN 10 The brochure includes 15 hiking tours for one and multiple days (up to 16 days) in 13 Latvia and Estonia, which is part of the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route long distance 9 path (in Latvia - Jūrtaka, in Estonian - Ranniku matkarada) (E9) - the most WHAT CAN YOU COASTAL NATURE 1. THE ROCKY 2. THE GREAT 3. sLĪtere 4. ENGURE ESTONIA interesting, most scenic coastal areas of both countries, which are renowned for FIND IN THE IN LATVIA AND BEACH OF VIDZEME: WAVE SEA NATIONAL PARK NATURE PARK their natural and cultural objects. Several tours include national parks, nature BROCHURE ESTONIA Saulkrasti - Svētciems liepāja - Ventspils Mazirbe - Kolka Mērsrags - Engure SAAREMAA PÄRNU parks, and biosphere reserves, as well as UNESCO World Heritage sites. 3 p. 8 7 Every tour includes schematic tour map, provides information about the mileage to be covered within a day, level of di culty, most outstanding sightseeing objects, as GETTING THERE 2days km 6 days km 1 day km 1 day km KOLKA well as practical information about the road surface, getting to the starting point and & AROUND 52 92 23 22 3 SALACGRĪVA returning from the fi nish back to the city. USEFUL 1 p. LINKS 4 p. LATVIA 5 p. LATVIA 7 p. LATVIA 10 p. LATVIA 11 p. 1 The tours are provided for both individual travellers and small tourist groups. VENTSPILS 6 4 It is recommended to book the transport (rent a car or use public transportation), SKULTE 5 accommodation and meals in advance, as well as arrange personal and luggage 5. COASTAL 6. A HIKING ROUTE 7. ALONG PÄRNU 8. WALK THE 9. BIRD WATCHING 10. BAYS AND CAPE transfer if necessary. NATURE PARK ACROSS THE BAY KIHNU ISLAND IN MATSALU HORNS IN THE The tours included in the brochure may be shortened or extended depending on the Vecāķi – carnikava DIVERSE COASTAL Häädemeeste - Kihnu Island NATIONAL PARK NORTHWESTERN JŪRMALA rĪgA 2 wishes of the travellers. These hiking tours, or some of them, may also be included LANDSCAPES OF Pärnu Haeska - Puise PART OF ESTONIA LATVIA in the traditional tourism routes and city excursions to diversify the o er. LATVIA Rooslepa – Vihterpalu LIEPĀJA If you want to do the tours individually for each tour in www.coastalhiking.eu, you 1 day 14 km 7 days 105 km 2 days 47 km 1-2 days 23 km 1 day 23 km 2 days 44 km will fi nd a detailed route description with a map of sightseeing objects, catering places, shops, rest areas, road surface, obstacles along the route and other useful LATVIA 12 p. LATVIA 13 p. ESTONIA 17 p. ESTONIA 19 p. ESTONIA 20 p. ESTONIA 21 p. information, or the GPX fi le with the main route of the hike. CONTACT: 11. AROUND PAKRI 12. THE LEGENDARY 13. A HIKING 14. GRAND HIKING 15. WALKING GENERAL INFO 14 15 Baltic Country holidays: www.countryholidays.lv PENINSULA SUURUPI TOUR ALONG THE TOUR ON THE COAST NATURE TRAILS IN ABOUT THE [email protected] Paldiski - Kersalu PENINSULA WESTERN COAST OF OF LATVIA AND LATVIA AND ESTONIA COUNTRIES TALLINN TALLINN Rīga – saulkrasti – ainaži – PALDISKI Estonian Rural Tourism: www.maaturism.ee Vääna - Jõesuu - ESTONIA AND THE ESTONIA 37 p. HAAPSALU HAAPSALU Pärnu – Muhumaa – saare- [email protected] HIIUMAA Tabasalu RESORT TOWNS Mazirbe - Riga - Pärnu - maa – Hiiumaa – Matsalu – PÄRNU PÄRNU SAAREMAA West-Estonia Tourism: www.westestonia.com Pärnu and Haapsalu Haapsalu - Tallinn Haapsalu – Paldiski – Tallinn KIHNU [email protected] MAP OF THE AREA ISLAND 1 day 1 day 6 days ~ 180 km AINAŽI 20 km 20 km 80 km ~ 90 km AND EUROPE MAZIRBE AINAŽI 16 days 8 days ZVEJNIEKCIEMS SAULKRASTI ESTONIA 23 p. ESTONIA 24 p. ESTONIA 25 p. LATVIA, ESTONIA 27 p. LATVIA, ESTONIA 32 p. 38 p. rĪgA JŪRMALA rĪgA 1 2 GETTING AIRPORTS LATVIA THERE & Riga: www.riga-airport.com Liepaja: www.liepaja-airport.lv COASTAL NATURE IN LATVIA AND ESTONIA AROUND ESTONIA Tallinn: www.tallinn-airport.ee Kuressaare: www.kuressaare-airport.ee Kärdla: www.kardla-airport.ee In Latvia, the Baltic Coastal In Latvia, steep blu s can be found from Strante In the summer, the water temperature in the sea can FERRIES Pärnu: www.parnu-airport.ee Hiking Route mainly goes to Ošvalki Village and near Staldzene and along the reach +18; +20 °C or more, so it is pleasant to walk barefoot along sandy beaches, in rocky seacoast in Vidzeme, while cli s can be seen in on the sandy sections of the coast and swim in the bathing Stenalines some places, rocky beaches, Harju County situated near Tallinn in Estonia. areas. Passenger transport services from and for short stretches, Germany, Travemunde to Liepaja (LV) The itinerary can be com- Dangerous natural calamities through coastal meadows. and from Sweden, Nynashamn to pleted in all four seasons. are not characteristic to the Baltic There are well-trodden Ventspils (LV). Summer (June - August) Sea littoral. Strong storms occur LOCAL BUSES AND TRAINS: trails and small roads in the www.stenaline.lv is the tourist season in rarely and usually in the autumn ESTONIA seaside forests. In some ar- Latvia and Estonia, when or winter seasons. Tallink Silja Line Buses: www.tpilet.ee (regional transport eas, the sand may be soft, which The leading provider of high-quality tickets online) more people come to the In Latvia, the dominant makes walking di cult. mini-cruise and passenger transport www.peatus.ee (route search, city seacoast in comparison wind direction is from the West. services in the northern Baltic Sea In Estonia, the Baltic Coastal Hiking Route goes to other times of the year. transport, regional transport) In the Baltic Sea littoral of Latvia, region. Routes: Helsinki – Tallinn, Trains: www.elron.ee along the very seashore for around 100 km, mainly be- As a result, accommoda- the wind is noticeably stronger, so Helsinki – stockholm, Riga – tween Haapsalu and Tallinn. In other places, crossing the tion near the sea can be fully the hike from the Lithuanian border to USEFUL LINKS: Stockholm, Tallinn - Stockholm. LATVIA Buses: www.autoosta.lv coastline becomes di cult as it is shaped by numerous booked some time in advance. In Kolka may be more comfortable in this di- www.tallinksilja.com capes, peninsulas, wetlands with reeds, fl oodplains, la- the autumn (end of August-October), you can see more www.visitestonia.com o cial tourism web page in Estonia Trains: www.pv.lv rection with a tail wind at your back. www.latvia.travel o cial tourism web page in Latvia Viking Line Enquiry service, including public goons and shallow coves, which is why the remaining colours when going through the woods, especially in A market-leading brand in passenger There are no high or low tides in the Baltic Coastal transport: www.1188.lv distance has to be covered via seaside trails, roads and Estonia: leaves are changing co- www.countryholidays.lv accommodations, worth seeing, farms in Latvia traffi c on the northern Baltic Sea. along motor roads. lour and you can fi nd mush- Hiking Route that would limit movement along the seashore www.maaturism.ee accommodations in Estonia Route: Tallinn - Helsinki. rooms, berries and nuts. or make it unsafe. www.vikingline.com In cities and populated www.liveriga.com Capital city of Latvia - Riga During storms, areas, the Baltic Coastal The coast of the sea is ever www.visittallinn.ee Capital city of Estonia - Tallinn Eckerö Line COACHES amber is washed ashore Hiking Route goes along changing and the same place may Estonian ferry line and a travel agency. in Latvia. The itinerary pedestrian pavements. look di erent every next time you Route: Tallinn - Helsinki Lux Express: www.luxexpress.eu can also be completed go there. The steep blu s are www.eckeroline.ee/en Ecolines: www.ecolines.eu The coastal terrain in winter (December - washed away by storms, the beach Local ferries in Estonia is mostly level and most March), doing booking in changes, a sandy beach can be re- Hiking route length: Local ferries operate between the advance, as many services of the Baltic Coastal Hik- placed by pebbles or even stones, SYMBOLS islands and mainland Estonia: are not available at this time Duration: CAR RENTAL ing Route is close to sea but at other times the pebbles may • Kihnu and other small islands of year. level. be covered by sand washed on top of USED: Diffi culty level: easy www.veeteed.com • The islands of Muhu, Hiiumaa and Avis, Budget, Sixt, Hertz and other local them. medium Saaremaa www.praamid.ee and international car rental companies. hard 3 WWW.COASTALHIKING.EU 4 THE ROCKY BEACH OF VIDZEME: SAULKRASTI - SVĒTCIEMS THE ROCKY BEACH OF VIDZEME: SAULKRASTI - SVĒTCIEMS It is possible to organise a transfer to/from the TALLINN place of accommodation, as well as from the DAY 2 fi nish point to Riga THE ROCKY You can also choose a shorter route: Saulkrasti - Hiking 1 lauči (13 km) and then arrange a transfer to Riga tŪJA - SVĒtCIEMS BEACH OF or Saulkrasti. 24 km 8 – 10 h SVĒTCIEMSI VIDZEME: A bus ride Svētciems - Riga (the stop is 1 Tūja DAY 1 lauči km from the sea, the bus runs 7-9 times a SAULKRASTI SAULKRASTI - SVĒTCIEMS Going by train: Riga - Saulkrasti (1 h, train day) or stay overnight at Svētciems. rĪgA operates ~ 1 x per hour). Itinerary: SAULKRASTI - LAuČi - Arrival in Saulkrasti, walk to the sea ~ 1 km. PRACTICAL INFO: tŪJA - SVĒtCIEMS Hiking diffi culty level: Hiking route length: 52 km SAULKRASTI - tŪJA Road surface: Rocky beaches, grassy/ Duration: 2 days reedy coastal sections, gravel roads, Diffi culty level: 28 km 9 – 12 h asphalt, forest trails, occasionally algae washed ashore (algae scum).