Baltic Forest Hiking - Metsa matkarada

Baltic Forest Hiking is a long distance hiking route, part of E11, in the Baltic States which leads through the most forested lands and national parks of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The route starts at the Polish - Lithuanian border near the town of Lazdijai in Lithuania, goes through Latvia and finishes at the Port of Tallinn in Estonia. The route can be followed in both directions, so you can choose Tallinn as the starting point. The total length is more than 2000 km: 747 km in Lithuania, 674 km in Latvia and 720 km in Estonia.

The route passes through Dzūkija and Žemaitija National Parks and eight regional parks in Lithuania, while in Latvia the route leads through Venta Valley Nature Reserve and Abava River Valley Nature Park, Ķemeri and Gauja National Parks, Northern Gauja and Veclaicene Protected Landscape Area. In Estonia, it winds through the Haanja Upland, Setomaa (Land of Setos) and along the western shore of Lake Peipus until it reaches the Gulf of Finland in North Estonia, where it turns westwards. From there, it follows along the North-Estonian coastline and many peninsulas of Lahemaa National Park, until it comes to its end point in Tallinn.

There are 102 separate hiking sections in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, but some people combine segments into one day. You can also start in any physically accessible place and go in one direction or the other, there are markers in both directions. Depending on your interests and possibilities, some sections can be covered by public transport rather than on foot, or you can make a deal with the owners of accommodation places to arrange personal and luggage transport. There are specific markers (white-yellow-white) on trees and other objects along the route to help you get your bearings in nature and not lose track of the road. In populated areas, it is marked by stickers on road signs and other objects. On the coast of the Gulf of Finland, from Toila to Tallinn, it can also be marked by white-blue-white markers, but in places where the trail overlaps with the trails developed by the Estonian State Forests (RMK), white-blue-white markers will appear.

The number of accommodation and catering places varies between different sections of the route. Some sections feature no catering providers at all. Information on the accommodations and catering places can be found in the description of each section. It is a good idea to book the accommodations in advance because they can be fully booked during the tourism season or some of them can be closed during the winter. Also it is advisable to call the catering places in advance because some companies operate only during the summer or at certain times.

There are more than 100 publicly accessible, well-developed and free-of-charge picnic areas near the Forest Trail. They have canopies, tables, benches, garbage bins, as well as campfire or grill sites and toilets. There are also picnic areas in campsites and near accommodation places, but seek prior approval from their owners to use them. Shops can be found in the more populated areas. Keep in mind that there are some sections of the route with no shops within one or more days’ walking distance. This information is given in the descriptions of the sections. Public transport (mostly bus, train in some parts) is available in the immediate vicinity of the route, but the running schedules needs to be checked ahead of time.

It is recommended that you take some cash (EUR) with you on the trip, as in some places credit cards are not accepted and ATMs are not available. When crossing a country border or when you are near a border, you have to carry identity documents that are valid for travel. When going through stony and rocky sections, you should wear closed shoes, while in places with an overgrown coast, water-resistant shoes will come in handy. Water and wind proof clothing, medical kit, power bank for your phone will be useful. Most accommodation and catering facilities offer Wi-Fi.