100 stories from the hiking route

1968 – Kabli Campsite is established in Lemme

Information

Topic

People and nature

Coordinates

Long-Lat WGS 84

Latitude: 57.9653944

Longitude: 24.405967

L-EST 97

x: 6424953.3
y: 524029.1

Location

Ikla-Aegviidu Hiking route

The Department of Recreational Facilities was created in 1966 at the Ministry of Forest Management and Nature Conservation. The need for this department arose due to the rise in tourism and the popularity of nature holidays in the Soviet Union. Estonia was a popular holiday destination, especially among the citizens of big cities like Moscow or Saint Petersburg (Leningrad at the time). In the most popular areas, the excessive use, motor traffic and making fires in undesignated areas led to forest and soil damage as well as to an increased threat of forest fires.
Camping areas were then created in forest districts to protect the forests and create better conditions for holidaymakers. The Department of Recreational Facilities arranged the creation of motels and campsites (for tents and cabins). The first camping site for cabins in Estonia was opened in Rannamõisa in 1965.
The Kabli Campsite was opened in 1968. In 1973, the campsite for cabins could accommodate 126 people. The Estonian experience in preparing recreational facilities also found recognition and interest elsewhere. A model of the Kabli Campsite was ordered for the union-wide agricultural exhibition in Moscow. The 1.5 × 2 metre model was made by artisan Hein in the basement of the trade and production association Loodus. The model looked like the real thing, including trees, dunes, holidaymakers and their cars. The model provided Kabli with great publicity in Moscow and brought over new holidaymakers.

Source:
Kusmin, J. 2011. Metsa kõrvalkasutus Eestis. Akadeemilise Metsaseltsi toimetised XXV