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was created to protect bogs, alluvial forests and floodplains. This protection area, one of the largest in Estonia, covers the northern part of the Võrtsjärv Basin. After the last ice age and the glacial recession, this was the location of the prehistoric Võrtsjärv; nowadays, the area is paludified. The bogland is dissected by more than ten larger rivers and a plethora of brooks. The Pedja, Põltsamaa and Emajõgi Rivers are the most famous. In addition, there are over fifty oxbow lakes in the floodplains that have become unique ecosystems with a rich variety of fish. During high water, the rivers overflow the streambeds and may flood nearly one-third of the protection area.
Nature Reserves and Hiking Trails in Tartu County The versatile landscape of Tartu County is rich in natural gems. Protected areas, special conservation areas and protected natural objects constitute a significant portion (17%) of the total area of Tartu County. The Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve and Peipsiveere Nature Reserve, the two nature reserves in Tartu County, are wetlands of international importance, or the so-called Ramsar sites. The Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Emajõgi River Delta Special Protection Area, Piirissaare Landscape Protection Area and Kärevere Nature Reserve are known as European Important Bird Areas. In addition to the aforementioned areas, there are many smaller protection areas in Tartu County, each with a specific protection goal, regime and value. Protection areas are fascinating, but you must be aware of several restrictions as you plan your visit. We suggest that you familiarise yourself with the existing rules before visiting a particular protection area. There are also general national rules for moving about in nature. All rules and requirements can be found on the webpage of the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) at www.rmk.ee .
The Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve
The area is almost uninhabited, which makes it attractive to human-fearing bird species and offers good hiding places to large game. This mosaic of old forests and bogs is a home for wolves, white-tailed eagles, golden eagles, Ural owls, pygmy owls, grouse and black storks. Various birds may be seen on the large flooded meadows, especially during spring and autumn migration. www.loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/naturereserves/alam-pedja-nature-reserv
2 On the Selli-Sillaotsa study trail you can get to know the bog and wildlife habitats of the nature reserve. The trail passes through heathy pine forests with high trees and over bog islands with marshy pine forests. Boardwalks have been built in the wet mesotropic mires and wooded bogs in order to protect plants. We advise moving about in small groups of no more than 30 people to refrain from disturbing the tranquillity of the natural surroundings. Take the Laeva-Palupõhja road to get to the starting point of the study trail. www.loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/naturereserves/alam-pedja-nature-reserv/selli-sillaotsastudy-trail-4-dot-7-km 4,7 km
3 On the southern border of the Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, you'll find another study trail: the Ilmatsalu-Kärevere birdwatching path. On the hiking trail there is a bird observation tower and several sites for campfires. The trail connects the fishponds of Ilmatsalu rich in birds with the floodplains on the bank of the Emajõgi. More than 200 bird species have been sighted in the area. www.loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/recreationareas/tartu-jogeva-recreation-area/ilmatsalukarevere-linnutee-hiking-trail-5-km/ 3,5 km
The Palupõhja Nature School (www.palupohja.ee/en) is the local centre of natural and environmental education and outdoor learning.
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Kärevere Nature Reserve The Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve continues to the east as the Kärevere Nature Reserve created for the pro-tection of the floodplains of the Emajõgi River, the old forests and the rich biota in the area. The flooded meadows are situated right next to the Tallinn-Tartu highway, which makes it easy to access the meadows and observe nature. A hiking trail along the banks of the Emajõgi River starts at the Tallinn-Tartu highway near the Kärevere bridge. This is the 14-kilometre Luharada Trail with resting places and wharves. The entrance to the hiking trail near the Kärevere bridge is the only place in Estonia where you are allowed to observe the display of great snipe, classed as rare in Europe. The meadow becomes a resting place for thousands of migrating birds during springtime. In summers, the multitude of hatchers attracts many raptorial birds. Various animals – deer, elk and fox – can be seen on the riverbank. Signs of beaver activity are noticeable everywhere, though the animals themselves are shy. www.loodusegakoos.ee/en
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The Peipsiveere Nature Reserve, formely known as Emajõe-Suursoo Nature Reserve The main value of the area is the biodiversity of wetland habitats and the large wetland delta of the Emajõgi River. Peipsiveere (Emajõe-Suursoo) Nature Reserve has been under national conservation since 1981, when 30 new wetland protection areas were established in Estonia. The main purpose of the nature reserve is the conservation, protection and study of the wetland delta of the Emajõgi River and its endangered and rare plant and animal communities and species. In 1997, the nature reserve was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance and since 2004 it has been a Natura 2000 area of Bird and Habitat Sites. www.loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/naturereserves/peipsiveere-nature-reserv
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6 As you leave the Kavastu village, you may head north and go along the Koosa road to the Alatskivi Landscape Protection Area created to protect the heritage of the cultivated landscape region. This nearly five-kilometre hiking trail allows you to enjoy the nature in the Alatskivi prehistoric valley, see a site of an ancient Estonian settlement and the magnificent renovated main building of Alatskivi castle. www.loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/recreationareas/tartu-jogeva-recreation-area/alatskivi-hikingtrail-4-dot-5-km
Nature Reserves and Hiking Trails in Tartu County
4,5 km
7 The Padakõrve Nature Reserve near Alatskivi is a protection area for wood ants. With more than 2000 impressive mounds, this is the largest known population of Formica aquilonia in Europe. As you observe the mounds, you cannot leave the path passing through the protection area. But even just the sight of this chain of mounds along the path is unforgettable. There are several information boards telling more about the way of life of ants. www.loodusegakoos.ee/en 3,6 km
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The Järvselja Nature Reserve allowing visitors to experience virgin forests is situated in the south-eastern part of Tartu County. The 3.5 kilometre study trail introduces the oldest forest protection area in Estonia. Since 1924, this forest has been protected and given the chance to grow without any human intervention. This way it has become a real virgin forest. Several typical keystone habitat bird species, such as the grey-headed woodpecker, pygmy owl, black grouse and wood grouse, may be seen. There are also protected natural objects in Järvselja. The magnificent Kuningamänd (the King's Pine) is over 360 years old and worth visiting, and there are many more old aweinspiring trees. The tallest firs in Järvselja measure up to more than 40 metres, thus holding the record among Estonian trees. www.jarvselja.ee
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3,5 km
ENG 9 Halfway from Tartu to Otepää you reach the scenic Pangodi Landscape Protection Area. The local nature draws attention with its variable kame field, which has influenced the land use, and the lakes with dissected coastline rich in fish. The protection area belongs to the Natura network of protected areas. Two hiking trails have been created that allow you to discover natural objects of interest and enjoy beautiful scenery: the Pikksaare trail begins in the western beach and the Palumägede hiking trail in the eastern beach of Lake Pangodi. Pikksaare hiking trail http://loodusegakoos.ee/whereto-go/recreation-areas/tartujogeva-recreation-area/pikksaarehiking-trail-1-km/
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Palumägede hiking trail http://loodusegakoos.ee/whereto-go/recreation-areas/tartujogeva-recreation-area/palumagede-hiking-trail-1-km/
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Tamme Outcrop Landscape Protection Area The Tamme outcrop is a red sandstone exposure of the Devonian period, especially important because it contains fossils of fish that inhabited the sea 380 million years ago. The information boards on the hiking trail along the bottom of the outcrop provide information about sandstone and the peculiarities of its formation as well as the avifauna and coastal flora of Lake Võrtsjärv. www.vortsjarv.ee
600 m
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Keeri-Karijärve Nature Reserve is the youngest of the protection areas of Tartu County. The reserve was created to protect the floodplains of the Elva River, two big and several smaller lakes, and biodiverse old forests situated in the northern region of the Elva valley in the former bay of the Primeval Võrtsjärv. The forests and wetlands in the nature reserve serve as a habitat for many bird species. The area is an important habitat of the greater spotted eagle; in addition, whitetailed eagle, fish eagle, lesser-spotted eagle and many other internationally protected bird species come here for the nesting period. Up to twenty corncrake couples nest on the floodplains. The Elva River and the lakes serve as the central part of the protection area. –These bodies of water are important in terms of species protection. Some examples of protected fish species are asp, loach and European weatherfish. As you hike along the path, you may observe the everyday activities of beavers and notice the places where the wild boars have eaten. There is a marked hiking trail in the southern part of the nature reserve, and a hut at Lake Karijärv for spending the night. If you go to the nature reserve by boat on the Elva River, you'll find a wharf and a nearby laavu, a simple and open wilderness hut. Ask the administrator of the nature reserve about movement restrictions by e-mail at emajoe-suursoo.looduskeskus@rmk.ee.
12 The biggest concentration of hiking trails in Tartu County is around the town of Elva. A non-profit association named the Vapramäe-Vellavere-Vitipalu Foundation organises resting facilities, learning and sports possibilities in the Landscape Protection Areas of
Elva-Vitipalu, Vapramäe and Vellavere. The Elva-Vitipalu Landscape Protection Area is special for its dissected relief, the Elva River with its pure water and several tributaries, restored alluvial meadows and the well-lighted oligo-mesotrophic boreal forests full of berries. You can choose between hiking trails with different levels of difficulty. You can walk along a 14.4kilometre hiking trail, which is the longest in Tartu County, or take the hiking trail of Lake Viti with many steep ups and downs; for the children, there is an adventure path with a playground and a witch's cottage. www.vvvs.ee Hiking trail of the Elva River prehistoric valley
14,4 km
Hiking trail of Lake Viti
2,3 km
Adventure trail 1,5 km
Biking trail
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The Vapramäe Landscape Protection Area is the oldest protected recreation area in the county. The area is popular for its good location, diverse landscape and forest, and a rich cultural heritage. The hiking trails in the forest and along the Elva River get visitors throughout the year. In Vapramäe Nature House you will find information about Elva recreation area and hiking trails. www.vapramaja.ee/vapramagi/english/ +372 525 4172 Vapramäe nature trail
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Vapramäe biking trail and hiking trail
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The varying landscape in the Vellavere region is perfect for biking, but hiking is great as well. The objects of cultural heritage from different periods have been equipped with information boards, which make moving along the village roads more interesting. Vellavere biking trail
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Trail for healthy lifestyle
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With its resting and camping sites and information boards, the Elva River has become a central waterway for boaters and the linking element for the local protection areas. The waterway from Hellenurme to Tartu (by the Emajõgi River) is 66 kilometres long and takes at least three days to cover. Naturally, you can always choose shorter distances as well. The Elva River waterway 66 km
More information about the hiking trails and other activities managed by the Vapramäe-Vellavere-Vitipalu Foundation may be found on their webpage at http://www.vvvs.ee.
13 Elva is a quiet town with forest parks. In the local pine forest, you'll find a short hiking trail called the Small Trail of Nature Energy with several wooden sculptures inspired by Estonian folk tales. The trail begins in the heart of Elva – just beside the old railway station. www.jarvselja.ee 3 km
Nowadays, the nicely renovated railway station houses the Elva Hiking Centre where you can find information about Elva, its nearest surroundings and the whole of Tartu County in general. www.matkakeskus.elva.ee +372 733 0132, Pargi Str. 2 Elva, Tartu County
Biking trails The landscape of Tartu County is also suitable for biking trips. Several EuroVelo routes (www.eurovelo.com) and hund-reds of kilometres of the cross-border biking route Tour de LatEst created in Northern Latvia and Southern Estonia (www.tourdelatest.eu) are located in Tartu County. About half of the popular 140-kilometre biking trail around Lake Võrtsjärv (www.vortsjarv.ee/tourism/maps) is in Tartu County. A regional biking trail passes along the kame field of Selgis. On the 30-kilometre trail with signposts there is Kärgandi camping site allowing campfires and the Kukemetsa hut (http://loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/recreationareas/tartu-jogeva-recreation-area/selgise-cycling-trail30-km). Biking routes have also been marked in the Elva-Vitipalu Landscape Protection Area (23.5 km route), Vellavere (8 km and 13 km routes) (www.vvvs.ee) and near Ilmatsalu (8 km route) (http://loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/ recreation-areas/tartu-jogeva-recreationarea/ilmatsalu-cycling-trail-7-dot-5-km). You should be aware, though, that most of the local biking routes in Estonia direct the biker to smaller gravel roads with less traffic and are therefore safer. 23,5 Length km
Camping site
Picnic spot
Shed
no camping allowed
Boardwalk
Lookout tower
Campfire site
Swimming site
Information board
No fire allowed
Wheelchair accessible
The most important rules for moving in nature: On state land and outside the protection areas where movement is prohibited, you are allowed to go everywhere. In accordance with the freedom to roam, you are allowed to be on privately owned land from sunrise to sunset. A private landowner may prohibit all movement on their land, but the land must be clearly fenced and marked accordingly. Public roads can be accessed by anyone. Cars are not allowed on private roads, but you can walk there in daytime. Keep a distance of at least 200 m from private yards. Moving on shores of bodies of water for public use is allowed only on shore paths (4-10m). Camping and building a campfire are only allowed in places prepared and marked accordingly. If there are no trash containers, you have to take your trash back with you. Dogs must not be allowed to run free – they have to be kept on a leash at all times. Everyone can fish in a public body of water without a fishing licence using a simple hand line and abiding by restrictions (for example regarding time and place). www.kalastusinfo.ee
Tartu Visitor Centre Raekoja 1A / Town Hall, Tartu ESTONIA Ph/fax +372 744 2111 info@visittartu.com www.visittartu.com Text: Annereet Paatsi Layout: Triinu Sarv Print: Paar Photos: Tartu County public photostock. 2015
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s e v r e s e R e r u t a y N t n u C o u t a r n T s i l a i r ing T an d Hiking