Viinistu and Hara Photo Gallery
Day 173 – 174 August 6th and 7th 2017
Viinistu
Early start from Voru as we headed back up north via Tartu to Viinistu. Our intrepid Estonian tour planners from Australia had suggested a visit as it was in a National Park and provided contacts we might meet up with. Those fabulous contacts also arranged a lovely room for us at the Viinistu Art Hotel right on the Gulf Of Finland.
On our way to the hotel we stopped in at the Viru Bog walk which is part of the Lahemaa National Park we started out when it was raining and people were turning back . However we continued on regardless and it was wonderful as there were very few other people about. It was a marvellous walk with a boardwalk across the bog and an observation tower where you could see the many pools that make this bog that make this particular landscape picturesque. Pools in bogs are actually unusual because the nature of bogs is such that water seepage is impeded and therefore pools are only rarely formed. We completed the circular route and headed to our hotel.
We arrived at a small village with a hotel that had been renovated from a fish-processing factory. The hotel overlooked a small harbour and out over the Gulf of Finland.
That night local friends of our Estonian mentors, and their beautiful six-month-old daughter joined us. We had a delightful dinner together and they offered to show us around the next day.
We had a late start today, which suited all of us before we headed off for our local tour. We started with a trip to Hara where there is the remains of a Russian submarine base, which has become a repository for graffiti and is a must-see for those who enjoy Soviet retro. You can understand why it was important strategically with Finland just over the horizon, and with access to the Baltic sea .Locals seem to enjoy the decaying base as tangible evidence of their independence.
We then went to the Nõmmeveski waterfall where the locals go to collect their natural water supply.As you can see the
A lovely short walk into the Jägala Waterfall with its copper coloured walls beneath the coursing river.
Finally arrived at the beachside holiday village of Võsu a really lovely place with a gorgeous beach beautiful houses and great restaurants. We had late lunch at a pub before heading back. We dropped our new friends off at their house. Truly a wonderful family that we hope to meet again.
