The striking nature of Raplamaa

You can have an active holiday on health tracks that are located in the Kõnnumaa landscape protection area. The local nature is beautiful, unique and rich in species. Here, you are going to find 2 km, 3 km and 5 km tracks, where you can run, cycle or ski, depending on the season. Additionally, the slope is suitable for snow boarders. The 2 km track is lit. For years, Paluküla slope has been one of the most popular places in the Rapla County for going sledding on a Shrove Tuesday. Here, you can camp or have a picnic as well!

900 m of Vesiroosi health track is lit. The natural training track is 2.2 km long. Here, you can go Nordic walking or practice riding a mountain bike. The beginning and end of the track is next to the car park of the Rapla Vesiroosi Upper Secondary School. It has a great sledding hill for children in the winter; the tracks can also be used for skiing. In the summer, the track also offers a possibility to go for a swim. It is safe to enter the water from the swimming pier. Due to a clay bottom, the water is hazy. If you wish, you can use the services of Sadolin sport centre that is located next to the health track. Here, various types of exercise sessions take place. The only public sauna in Rapla is also located in the sports centre. Come and improve your health in the nature!

Mukri bog that formed around 9,000 or 10,000 years ago was once a lake. It is thought to be one of Estonia’s oldest bogs. Did you know…? *Mukri bog has a 14-metre viewing tower. *A boardwalk leads the way through the bog. *Lake Mukri covers 2.2 ha and is full of little islands. *If you’re not afraid of inky black water, the bog is perfect for swimming. *You can pick berries in the bog. *Mukri bog is one of the few wetland areas in Estonia you can cross without getting your feet wet. *If the boardwalk seems too pedestrian, you can always try bog-shoeing.

Along the 2.6 km hiking trail, you can take a look at the Lipstu heath and Lake Sõbessoo. The boardwalk is 940 m long and the hiking trail is 1,690 m long. Sõbessoo with its many swamp pools is a suitable nesting place for typical fen birds. Here, you can spot whooper swans or Montagu’s harriers. The local forests are a home to various species of woodpeckers, grouses, hazelhens, stock doves and earless owls. In the summer, you can admire waterlilies blooming on the surface of the lake. During hot summer days, it is a great place for a refreshing swim. The bog offers relaxing moments during any season. Here, you can also go on a bog-shoe adventure! Take along a picnic basket and come enjoy the silence of the bog!

On the trail you will find out about the cultural history of Velise. The trail covers a total distance of 70 km, but you can hike two sections measuring 30 km and 40 km. You will find more detailed descriptions of the trails here. Did you know…? *The trail is also suitable for cyclists and drivers *Maps of the trail can be found in Valgu, Nurtu, Konuvere and Velise and at Sillaotsa Farm Museum (where you can also obtain a brochure) *While here, why not take a look at John the Baptist church in Velise too? *You can also visit the Velise community centre to admire the weaving and the Sulu village and its handicraft workshop

The Vana-Vigala nature studies trail is 1.5 km long and fully marked. It is situated in the park of the old manor of the same name. Did you know…? *Vigala manor once belonged to the Uexküll family *Here you can see the oldest pieces of art in Estonia – bass-reliefs excavated from Pompeii *The park has a wealth of different species, and is bordered on one side by the slate ‘Laughing Wall’, which was constructed in 1867

This nature trail, which is 7.7 km long, connects the highest point in Western Estonia, Hiiemägi Hill (106 m), and the Loosalu bog island. Take 4 to 5 hours to cover the entire trail. Don’t forget your wellies and be careful when moving between the hollows. A boardwalk will lead you to ‘Little Loosalu Lake’. The trail comes to an end at the foot of Reevimägi Hill (99 m). Interesting to know: Here, you will see Estonia’s largest bog lake – Lake Loosalu. The pike and perch that live in the lake are black in colour and taste of peat mud. The pine forests around the bogs are criss-crossed by elk paths.

The Pae karst area spreads out over two hectares of land covering a limestone layer rich in fossils. Where the alvars and bog meet there is a terrace that varies in height from one to two metres. Here you can see collapsed funnels up to one metre wide and 1.5 metres deep. Other points of interest in the area include open hollows, fissures, caves and a limestone firing kiln.