The approximately 19-kilometre-long section of the DOS AND DON’TS FOR VISITORS protected area has, all in all, 43 sandstone outcrops, which ●● Keep the forest, river and river banks tidy. are eye-catchingly picturesque with their layers of different ●● Do not engrave on the outcrops. colours, shading from yellow to purple-brown. ●● Walk only on the roads and trails. TAEVASKODA ●● You can pick berries, mushrooms and other forests goods in the pro- For ages, the sandstone outcrops have been called tected area. ●● You can put up a tent and make a fire only in the prepared and marked “taevaskoda/-kojad” (Heaven’s Halls) by local people, as places. At the time of wildfire hazard, making an open fire, even on the high outcrop walls with the primeval forests on the special grounds, is forbidden. top and the sky hanging above remind “shrines of the ●● You can move about on private land from sunrise to sunset unless nature”. The Taevaskojad belong to the most beautiful you do damage to the landowner. In case the private land is fenced places in Estonia. The highest outcrop (about 20 metres at or marked, you will need the landowner’s permission. the highest point) with its length of 150 metres is called ●● Drive your motor vehicle only on the provided roads and leave it only Suur Taevaskoda (Small Heaven’s Hall). The height of Väike in the car park. Taevaskoda (Grand Heaven’s Hall) reaches ten metres. ●● You can use only non-power watercraft on the bodies of water. Spring waters have eroded two caves into the rock. One of ●● Keep your dog on the leash while moving about in the nature. them is the spring of Emaläte (Mother’s Spring), while the other is called Neitsikoobas (Virgin’s Cave) – according to When you see damage done to the nature or visiting objects, inform the the legend a pretty towheaded young girl, who is weaving Environmental Inspectorate by phone 1313. cloth on her golden loom, lives there. Near the Taevaskojad, you might come across Ahja’s most famous birds – the kingfisher and the white-throated dipper. Although the kingfisher seems to be brightly coloured, it has, however, a splendid camouflage – seeing it from upside down it fuses with the sparkling river water, Ahja and from downside up with the sandstone outcrops. River Ancient Valley HIKING TRAIL Landscape The Taevaskojad hiking trail, which starts at the Saesaare Protection car park, is three kilometres long. The trail runs on both Area riverbanks, winding its way up and down along the valley, in places close to the edge of the outcrop, producing ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY extraordinary views to the forest and river below. Environmental Board Põlva-Valga-Võru Region 1a Kalevi Str., 64503 Räpina Phone +372 799 0900 [email protected] www.keskkonnaamet.ee ARRANGEMENT OF VISITS South-East Estonian District Nature Management Department State Forest Management Centre (RMK) Phone +372 676 7122 AHJA [email protected] Publication supported by www.rmk.ee Environmental Investment Centre River Ancient Compiled by: M. Kala Front page photo: Valley Landscape Suur Taevaskoda, L. Michelson KAAS Layout by: Akriibia Ltd Protection Area Translated by: K. Nurm Photo: Kingfisher, M. Kose Printed by: Actual Print Ltd © Environmental Board 2012 Akste 0 Vastse-Kuuste 6 0 7 7 Padari 0 0 7 E 70 Hatiku koprarada / Hatiku Beaver Trail 6(00.5 km) 6 0 Akste loodus- Kiidjärve kuklaserada / ja 7 a o 0 Kiidjärve Wood Ants Traij l (1.5 km ) kaitseala h e Photo: Ahja River after Saesaare Mill Pond, L. Michelson § st Laari metsanduslik õppeArada / k 60 Laari Forestry Study Trail (7 kAm) 70 Akste skv Hainjärve Roiupalu õpperada / Roiupalu Study Trail (1.5 km) # # # Taevaskodade matkarada / # # # # Leevijõe # Allikas # soo Taevaskodade ( H e a v e n ' s H a l l s ) Hiking Trail (3 km) # # 0 # 7 70 # # H # 6 # Tikuta a 7 7 0 # 0 0 vesiveski i n varemed j 0 6 ä 6 0 r v 0 e 7 k 7 # 0 # r 0 Kongsi pae 6 0 6 5 6 0 0 # # Juuda pae A Valgemetsa Puusta pae hj Valgesoo # # a 0 # 6 j õ # # # # 6 looduskaitseala # ® g 0 Valge- P Sadama pae # i # # # # # # # 0 Lükoalune pae # Mutso pae 6 0 # 7 # 0 # 5 # metsa ® # 60 P # Eevamägi Valgesoo U# ssiloosku mägi Valgemetsa Metsavendade # Alliku kalju # # punkri asukoht # # # # # 6 # The Ahja River Ancient Valley Landscape Protection Area is # 0 6 # Oonemäe pae ® # # 0 # # P # # Kiidjärve Sõnajala mägi located between Koorvere and the Otten (Valgesoo) bridge. The # 0 # # vesiveski 6 0 # 5 0 Pulga 6 # protection area, established in1957, is one of the oldest protected # # Roio pae Kiidjärve # # Palanumägi kalju K ® 0 # P # # 5 6 # # 0 # 0 i Kiidjärve 6 Haav# aniidu pa# e areas in Estonia. i # # # d # mõisa # # Kiviniidu pae j Kassimägi # Piirioidu pae # # ä park The “trademark” of the protection area is the Ahja River # r # # v Ahja jõe ürg#o# ru Ancient Valley together with the river, the sandstone outcrops Kiidjärve park # # ® P # # # # 6 60 maastikukaitseala0 Tsuba pae 60 Savioidu pae towering on the riverbanks, the forests growing on the i g 70 # # # õ slopes and the meadows on the valley floor. Several rare and j 0 Mõtstare mägi #a 7 # # endangered species occur in the protection area, such as the Kiidjärve 0 5 j # h # 0 E # Nõmme skv 6 # # 6 A Kuradikoobas 50 7 # 0 Austrian rippensame, dwarf scouring rush, stagshorn clubmoss, # 0 # T 70 0 a 5 Kiidjärve rdtj tee # 0 flat-stemmed clubmoss, creeping lady`s tresses, lesser butterfly Oosemägi # r 6 # t 6 0 u 6 Kivipalu mägi # Kiidjärve orchid, Scottish wood ant, clouded apollo, kingfisher and white- # Kiisa pae 0 70 # # throated dipper. The following river inhabitants are under # 50 Kindapäka mägi Maarja küla # # protection: the sea trout, grayling, spined loach, bullhead, and # 60 0 # # 70 7 Valgesoo thick shelled river mussel. Koorvere Mõsumägi # Valgesoo # # # # # # # # # # Saesaare # # 70 # finds its beginning from Lake Erastvere # # THE AHJA RIVER paisjärv # # # # Laaritsamägi and debouches into the River Emajõgi. The relief of the Ahja # 6 # VASTSE-KUUSTE VALD 0 Koorvere # 0 River Ancient Valley is at its most diverse in the 19-kilometre- 6 Karilatsi # 6 0 # P # long section of the protected area. The gradient of the river at õ 5 0 lv 0 6 a Saesaare # the end of the protected area is up to 1.6 m/km, lending the # Savimägi E 0 5 0 ® 7 P # Saesaare 0 6 0 # 4 river its mid-course mountain river character. On some floors Kiidjärve Looduskeskus / # Paljand / # hüdroelektrijaam Kiidjärve Nature Centre7 # Exposed escarpment without rapid currents the river creates plenty of crooks and 0 h Infotahvel / # A j Matkarada / Hiking trail # a Emaläte Taevaskoja 60 j bends. The river mostly flows through forests, which dominate Information board # õ # Neitsikoobas Otteni g # skv ® Kaitseala piir / # i P Parkla / Parking # metsamaja # # # 70 # in the local landscape; there are light and dry heath and boreal # Protected area boundary Väike Taevaskoda Salakuulaja kivi # # # # 4 # Otteni veski 5 0 # Metsamaja / Forest house # # # 0 # # forests as well as more fertile primeval forests. Sihtkaitsevöönd / a Suure Taevaskoja allikad # # Lõkkekoht / Conservation zone j o # Ületammi kalju Suur Taevaskoda # # # The section of the river between Kiidjärve and Taevaskoja Camp fire site # # 60 # Vallapiir / u Metsavendade # # k # # Ujumiskoht / Municipality boundaryi punkri asukoht meets Saesaare Mill Pond, which formed in 1951–1953 as a result t Soeoone kalju Swimming place # # # Raudtee, peatus / a of the construction of a hydroelectricity station here – falling Hüdroelektrijaam / Railway, railway staHtion 0 0 8 Hydro power plant 6 victim to which were the largest and the most beautiful cascades Kõvakattega tee / Taevaskoja Vesiveski / Surfaced road Taevaskoja in Estonia at that time, the Saesaare rapids. Watermill 7 0 Kruuskattega tee, Taevaskoja 0 7 0 Vaatetorn / 6 4 bussipeatus / 0 On the slopes of the Ahja River Ancient Valley, sandstone Observation tower Gravel road, bus stop 7 0 outcrops dating back to the Middle Devonian Burtnieki Regional Park / Park 80 Pinnastee / Unpaved road 1:40 00i0 Stage (about 380 million years ago) are denuded. Sadam / Harbour PÕLVA VALD g 0 1cm kaardil=40õ0 m looduses 7 7 j 0 Metsavendade punkri asukoht / 0 Rada / Path 6 a Location of Forest Brothers' bunker r 0 Samakõrgusjoon / 4 8 70 0 70 O Allikas / Spring 0 9 8 Contour line 0 80 0 0 Taevaskoja tee 8 9 0 7 0 8 50 80 E E E E.