12 500km to Estonia on a bicycle.


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Europe » Estonia
July 14th 2016
Saved: April 16th 2023
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14/07/16

And so having reached and passed the milestone of my 60th a few days earlier, its just the two of us riding together again and now started on our last leg of our ride from Hrtsals (Denmark) around the northern tip, the ferry to Goteborg (Sweden) ride south and cross back to Copenhagen (Denmark) before the next ferry to Klaipeda (Lithuania) then ride north again through Latvia & Estonia to Tallinn to finish.

We clocked over our 10 000'th kilometer on the bikes just before Skagen on the northern tip of Denmark where two oceans meet, and so celebrated with a Skagen Drachmann Pilsener and an Aussie Jacobs Creek shiraz.
Past Grenen with its black lighthouse, & black licorice icecream, and onward to Fredrickshaven to ferry us with bikes to Goteborg(Sweden).

Surprise, surprise we arrived to a wet drizzly grey city although incredibly lively! Maestro kids playing against adults, chess on streetside timed boards.
We climbed to the hilltop fort overlooking the city, then made our way to Hagg Nugata street and forced down a world renowned cinnamon scroll (the size of a dinner plate) with a coffee, before making our way to the port where a magnificent, of times past, four masted Brigantine was tied up overlooking a particularly modern sofisticated piece of architecture. A nice juxtaposition.

The next day we plundrred on southward following the coastline, around pristine tranquil lakes, roadside daisies being pollinated by orange, black and sky blue spotted butterflies. We pushed our bikes through the knee deep sedge, sat on a large flat rock on the waters edge and had our home packed lunch, as a couple of white swans noisly honked their way overhead.

Through Nolndal & Kingsbacka then just before our Varberg destination we had an obligatory stop at a community centre building on the outskirts of town that had some 14 wooden clinker built boats housed both under cover & outside, with workshop museum & coffee shop. I was back again in heaven for a moment !
Then ripped away from my dream state, we were back on the road again, past an 1847 stone plinth road marker and on the Halmstad.

An exquisite old boating town hsd me entranced again briefly, before being whisked away after a coffee. Bastad & Angelholm with their quaint harbours and more besutifulky maintained wooden boats.
The landscape we now cross is covered in golden ripe and ready for harvest, wheat. Past thatched roofed with cross hatched apex roof logs decorating the peaks farm houses and windmills, before reaching Hoganas & Helsingor.
We board yet another ferry and cross to Copenhagen.

A delight and uterly gorgeous, street corners, walls the sides of entire buildings graffitied with murals of such exquisite detail they look like paintings of the masters, whimsical sculptures of young girls dancing around a water feature, a train station that could have previously been an elizabethan dance hall (chandelier included), a 20ft beautifully ornate fish sculpture created from ocean plastic debris, the classic castle/chateau overssen and still guarded by their viking heritage, the iconic Tivoli amusement park, the little mermaid, and many more to numerous to mention.

But onward we are, on the ferry to Klaipeda/Lithuania.
Klaipeda (meaning lost footprint) the legend of how the city got its name, was once the capital of Prussia, after being moved from Berlin. Now a bustling modern cith but with still obvious communist Russian overtones still visible. The river cutting through the city, now turned into a vibrant cultural and social hub is buzzing with life. Rowing teams being cheered on by onlookers crowding the route and from overhead bridges, eclectic fun sculptures litter the waterfront waiting to be discovered. By night the food stalls appear and the revelry continues until lste into the night.

Fellow cyclists had wsrned the inland route to Vilnius was particularly bad and dangerous to ride, so with two minutes to spare and last two seats available, we hurriedly packed the bikes in the bowels of the bus and took off.
Very different from Klaipeda , Vilnius is a grand university town whose buildings were probably less affected during the war years & although show traces of previous russian control, have been kept beautifully.

Back now on country paths, cycling through ancient forrests, around lake systems and people out boating, we pulled up at Trakai and its castle, on the lake edge for lunch of tasty local pastry dumplings and beer.
Then to pay, had to work them off on a pedal dolphin boat on the lake around the castle, then to rid ourselves of the last little bit cycled on to Kaunas, a clean yet dischevelled but being refurbished sombre town.

Vytautas Magnus ruler of Lithuania 1408, was granted the rights to Kaunas after winning the battle over the teutonic order (1350 - 1430) & the castle (although only partly) still stands today. We refurbished our cafiene on the main promenade, then took the old wooden fenicular tram to the top of the mound overlooking town.

The following morning we cycled to the car barge ferry, crossed the river and followed the stream through parkland and national park of the Jurbarkas region, then stopped for a breather at Raudones chateau now restored to its former magnificence. That night we pitched tent at the only camp site we could find, with from the middle of our field...great wifi, delivered to the tent !
That we dined and drank (Tauras Gira - local cola beer) at what was the ancient monastery, with outstanding fare.

On to the Curonian peninsular and Ventes Racas Ornithological Station past which 300 000 birds migrate daily during the Autumn migration. Two million birds of 230 species have been ringed for research purposes since its inception in 1929.

The local Kurenas sail boat with their distinctive 'weathercocks' atop each mast, depicting their ownership (fishing licence rights) now an iconic novelty, collectively tied alongside each other on the shoreline of the curonian lagoon, as they have since the 16th century.

Back on the bikes and ferry to cross to Latvia, only to finds friends Hennie & Seiko similarly awaiting the ferry arrival. So once again in drenching rain on very good roads we ride through the Nica region and north up the coast to Leipaja. A modern, sophisticated, old & sombre, bright & colourful, dull & decrepid juxtaposition city, beautiful in a wierd kind of way.
The jewel in the crown had to be the gold domed previously russian orthodox cathedral, beautifully ornate in its detail externally, however quite sparse & almost mosque like in its simplicity internally. Alongside & not far off the apartments and homes were almost ghetto like. The cathedral must have seemed highly opulent during its time to the locals.

Further north we pushed on to Ziemude, Pavilosta, Ventspils, Kolka & Mersrags. This stretch of coast the 'Kurzeme' after signing the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact on august 23, 1939, Latvia was forced to accept 'help' from the USSR in the form of 25 000 troops to be stationed along the coastline.

Leaving Mersrags we cycled on to Jurmala on route to Tukums, but were 'forced' to stop for an obligatory cursory glance at a number of stunning wooden (a little biased) yachts tied up awaiting the chance to be released of their fetters, to sail again. Their craftsmanship & condition reflected their owners passion.

Tukums was nostalgic in their old worldly sense of the 18th century homes still intact & inhabited, the outstanding manor house with manicured gardens, and avant garde art display strung up in the
accompanying manor forrest.

Our arrival in Riga was marred and cordened off for the annual roller blade (must be the summer version of ice skating) race around the city. All ages from tiny tots no bigger than their boots to the elderly.
But the city itself phenomenal.
Old city well established parks, edwardian period costumed actors dressed to the 9's ambling the streets, dinner in the sky (seat belted in table hoisted 200m above thecity waterfront), gold domed cathedrals, streets of Noveau period homes, students punting lovers through the parland lakes. Quite sumptuous.

Sigulda and its 1200m concrete summer bobsleigh track with hair-raising non stop 9.3% gradient - fortunately for some - was shut, other than to have a look around. Phew.

Then it was a wet cable car ride (luckily with muddy wet bikes) across and over Gauja Nat Park and on to Cesis, Turaida castle and tower (Livonian order), past another trout ladder, mushroom infested forests and on to the russian nuclear fallout bunker (for the political elite) now museum, housed under a hospital during the war. Our overriding purpose was though to reach Dikli Pils manor (1896) built in baroque style with its collection of antique furniture, fireplace & gardens and our lavish stay for the night - well worth the ride.
Now refreshed, we jauntily rode along the coast pathway only to our surprise to pass a sign advising we had entered Estonia and the next town would be Parnu.

It was here on stopping for our prepared salami & salad rolls for lunch, Jan inadvertently bit into her sandwich, wasp included only to be stung in the mouth ! Aftrr some consternation & disdlodging the half bodied culprit & checking with the local pharmacist , we continued with our planned ride north, following the coast to the island of Muhu, Saaremaa and back to the mainland to Haapsalu and finally Tallinn, completing our 12 500km cycling odyssey.

Estonia is a country that prides itself on detail, and the timber clad cottages that lined our way were no exception. Neat, tidy, meticulously decorated we decided not to overnight at 'Krapi Kamp' but found a camp site that looked the part.
That evening we cycled to the ocean front, found a cafe and celebrated Estonia with a local A. Le Cog 1807 local cleansing ale, a glass of wine & dinner to a stunning sunset over the ocean.

The ride to Parnu was interesting although uneventful really in total contrast to the town.
Ornate, meticulous, detailed & artistic wouldnt come close to the exquisite workmanship everywhere. We found a large, well patronised, with a bar camp site on the riverbank and close to town and made camp. Then we scampered into town for a reconnaissance only to return to a plethora of vintage Baltic, Russian and US cars & tractors setting up in the field alongside.
All faithfully restored back to their original beauty.

It wasnt long before we were once again cycling on gravel paths ocean on one side, fields on the other, the church having its three onion shaped copper domes reclad and windmills with inlaid pebble stone design walls.
That night we made our way to the owner of a restored windmill home where we bunked for the night.
Now we were riding past hay bales being harvested and rolled and bound in most fields, us bound for Kuressaare and their iconic castle and surrounding moat/lake, and a stop at the maritime museum.

Here they had amongst others a replica of the 'Gokstad Boat' a 9.7m Viking boat, with just over 0.5m draft (very shallow) built in 895BC of oak split into halves, quaters then eighths to create the planking, not using any saws. Then shaped using axes, spoon drills & planes before being fitted with its woolen (treated with tallow & ochre) sails.

That night we were housed in a wooden cottage alongside a lake where children were excitedly catching trout for the family dinner that night. Behind our cottage bellowed three long haired wooly, 1.5m horn span highland cattle.
After such a great setting it was with some regret to leave and cycle on again through the forests, past giant ladybird painted rocks, past small yacht clubs until at last the peculiar Angla baltic windmills came into view.
Different from the normal 'top pivot' windmill we all know, these look as though they might topple over as they pivot the entire structure from the bottom.

That evening we were blessed with the sounds of 100's of migrating Brolgas flying in V formation, leaving the baltics for warmer southern climes and Australia.
We lunched at a roadside bus stop, caught a ferry back to the mainland to Haapsalu with its outdoor museum train station and trains of yester year. The episcopal castle had
a medical display of days past (fortunately) of bloodletting (for headache) and other diagnosis and treatments not for the feint hearted.

That night massive bonfires were lit at a number of prominent coast locations as a cleansing for the new season and townfolk gathered and enjoyed the warmth and company.

The following day we cycled into Tallinn, stayed a few nights to celebrate our 12 500km intriguing journey and ponder on the great times we have had, let alone the fact that my amazing partner through thick & thin, wet & cold, sore bottom & legs, hot & stifling, camping & castles never once complained.

You are a star ! Xxx




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Comments only available on published blogs

13th April 2017

Sounds idyliic
Great pics, Kevin, and sounds like a wonderful trip (except for the wasp).
13th April 2017

Thanks guys, it was wonderful. In Azores now as you probably know then to Gibraltar and Jans arrival.....cannot wait. Glad to see you both well. Xxx

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