The recreation area by Lake Pangodi is a popular holiday destination, offering a variety of opportunities to enjoy nature. In the holiday complex, you can swim, camp, and make a campfire. The large lawn by the sandy beach has a children's playground with active holiday elements and a volleyball court. At the beginning of the recreation area, there is a parking lot that can accommodate up to 30 cars. The Pangodi camping area is by the lake, where you can find three campfire sites with canopies and benches. Along the Pikksaare hiking trail (1 km) starting from the car park, you will reach the Pangodi campfire site, which is about 500 m from the crowded camping area in the Pangodi park forest. Be respectful to nature!
The Valgesoo watchtower is located in the Valgesoo bog, which represents one of the 21 places worth discovering in South Estonia and is recommended for all nature enthusiasts.With its eye-catching design, the watchtower overlooks the Valgesoo bog, the pristine-looking primeval forest, and the Baron's pine forest (Parunimännik) and the study trail that runs through it. The 29.7 m high metal watchtower has three intermediate platforms, the last of which is 23.8 m high, with a wind screen and seat benches in the centre. The State Forest Management Centre's campfire site and camping area for up to five tents are nearby.
Murrumetsa Hiking Trail starts from the Pühajärve Manor Park and runs through Murrumetsa forest back to the park. It takes about 1-1.5 hours to pass the 3.5 km track. There are information boards next to the track that give information about the flora and fauna of our forests and cultivated landscapes. The track passes the ancient Pühajärv War Oak (circumference 6.98 m and height 22 m) and the commemorative stone to mark the Pühajärv War of 1841, which can be found among the oaks of Murrumets Forest. There are also rest areas and fire sites by the trail.
The two Taevaskoda outcrops on the banks of the ancient valley of the Ahja River are one of the most frequently visited sites in southern Estonia. The sandstone outcrops and the ancient river form the most beautiful part of the Ahja River Landscape Reserve. Legends speak of caves, secret passageways and of demons and a mermaid with a golden comb. A walk from the Saesaare dam to the Small Taevaskoda outcrop, the Emaläte spring, the Neitsikoobas cave and the Large Taevaskoda outcrop, which rises 22.5 metres above the river, is worth undertaking in every season. The beautiful and exciting natural setting attracts hikers – it is a place that every Estonian visits at least once in their life!
Peräjärve forest trail guides the hiker through different forest types - fresh boreal forest, dry boreal forest, boreal heath forest, carr, and swamp forest. You will get an overview of the different uses of the forests throughout history, a living example of this are the trees near the trail, which are used to extract resin from.The study trail can be visited all year round: in spring there're a lot of bird sounds and the daphne mezereum blooms, in summer and autumn the forest is full of berries and mushrooms, and in winter you can see interesting animal tracks in snow.
The total length of the hiking trail in the primeval valley of the Piusa River is 15 km from the ruins of the Vastseliina Episcopal Castle to Lindora or vice versa. You can take the trail on foot, but parts of it are also passable either by bike or car. The highlights of the reserve are the tall Devonian sandstone outcrops – the tallest of them is the wall of Härma Mäemine or the Keldre Wall (total height 43 m, length 150 m). There are two camping sites – under the Make Wall on the first third of the trail and under the Härma Lower Wall towards the end of the trail.The object is not lighted, which is why we recommend to visit it during the day.
The Kaljupealse campfire site is located on the banks of the Võhandu River, in a beautiful pine forest. The riverside and high banks offer a beautiful view of the Võhandu River and sand outcrops. The campfire site has a roofed table and benches, a roofed grill, and firewood. The place is ideal for campers, fishing enthusiasts, and as a resting point for guests coming here with boats.Along the high sandy shores, through a beautiful pine forest, there is an unmarked hiking trail where you can enjoy beautiful views of nature or pick berries and mushrooms.
Cabins for hikers, an observation tower and a boardwalk attract many nature lovers to the Meenikunno bog. It is a beautiful recreation area. While walking down the boardwalk, you can see the most common bog plants: leather leaf, bog rosemary, crowberry, Marsh Labrador tea, and tussock cottongrass; at the edge of the bog, dwarf birches can also be found. There are also a number of different species of peat moss of various colours. The bravest hikers can try drinking bog water (it has an interesting taste!) from the overgrown ditch near the edge of the bog.Good to know: The boardwalk is pram and wheelchair accessible.