100 stories from the hiking route

1972 – one of the first nature trails in Estonia is established in Paganamaa

Information

Topic

Hiking and hiking trails

Coordinates

Long-Lat WGS 84

Latitude: 57.5853666666667

Longitude: 26.8342305555556

L-EST 97

x: 6386134,5
y: 669497,1

Location

Ähijärve-Aegviidu Hiking route

In 1972, Helve Käärik-Pai and the legendary forest and nature enthusiast Vello-Taivo Denksi designed the Paganamaa study trail established to celebrate the national assembly of the Estonian Nature Protection Association. It was one of the first study trails in the nature of Estonia that had been marked, fully developed and was fully equipped with information materials. The Paganamaa study trail became the example that was used to present the methodology of creating study trails.
There are three roundabout paths of different lengths (5, 7, and 10 km) on the Paganamaa study trail. The campsite and parking area were established in the pine forest by the lake Krabi Veskijärv. The layouts and descriptions of the study trails could be found there as well.
In nature, the trails were marked by white-yellow-white stripes on trees and rocks. The 19 points of interest of the trail introduced the lovely landscapes, nature and the local history of Paganamaa, presenting them as an integral whole. The description of the trail was also included in a pamphlet published by the Estonian Nature Protection Association. Hikers could request a student from the Krabi school as a guide to accompany them on the trail. To do this, people were on standby duty at the school even on the weekends of summer holidays. The school was also home to the local history room and upon agreement, you could sleep at the school’s forest district building.
The current RMK hiking route that passes through the whole of Estonia also partially runs by the Paganamaa study trail established in 1972.