You can get magnificent views of the sand dunes and the sea from the top of Nagliai Nature Reserve in Lithuania. — Photos: WEE HON KOO
The Curonian Spit National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is a must-see place when visiting Lithuania.
The Curonian Spit is a 98km-long sand dune spit that’s thin and curved, which separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. It is shared between Lithuania and Russia.
The natural environment and attractions here are so spellbinding, we regretted only staying for four days.
We stayed in nearby Joudkrante, an enchanting village with lovely timber houses, many painted in mesmerising marine blue. Decorative wind vanes on tall timber posts are a common sight around this village.
Houses painted in marine blue are a common sight in Joudkrante.
There’s a 2km-long walkway and bicycle lane sandwiched between the Curonian Lagoon and a public park with many stone and timber sculptures. It was simply magical to walk here in the twilight of a long summer day, with the gentle sea breeze blowing.
The next morning, we cycled to the biggest town, Nida, as well as to the Russian border, 35km away. The paved bicycle path meanders along sand dunes, through shady woods, pine forests and small villages.
The sand dunes facing the Baltic Sea were man-made over many years to prevent flooding. It is 50km long and was constructed with 33 million tonnes of sand. No trampling about is allowed here except in certain designated areas to prevent erosion.
We cycled past places where whole villages had been previously buried by the shifting dunes. There are no traces left of the villages save for some information boards. The biggest is the Nagliai Nature Reserve, where a 300m-long boardwalk gets you halfway to the top of the dune. The other half is on shifting sand, which is best done barefoot.
A boat wreck and three crosses mark where the village once stood. At the top, a lookout point made from driftwood gives a magnificent view of the dunes and sea.
The pockets of pine forests we cycled through was rejuvenating, thanks to the robust pine scent. Shade from the woods offered respite from the sun and the change of scenery of small villages made the 70km-long round trip seem shorter.
Decorative timber wind vanes mounted on tall timber posts are a delighful sight.
The Parnidis Dune in Nida is one of the highest shifting dunes in Europe. Here, besides the fantastic views of the surrounding dunes and sea, there are some sculptures and a gigantic sundial.
Russia is down by the dunes, but the borders are separated by a nature reserve that’s strictly out of bounds to the public. We walked down just to take a peek into the other side but saw only dunes and barbed wire.
The amber museum and lighthouse are worthwhile visits in Nida. Amber is famous here and numerous shops sell beautiful pieces of varying sizes and prizes. Do be wary of fake amber made from plastic, though, as it is apparently quite common to find them.
After biking long distance and trampling around in the dunes for another 20km or so, we treated ourselves to some rutytos zuvys or smoked fish, which is a specialty in the area. It is simply delicious and eaten with bread, salad, and wine.
The next day, we took a walk to the nearby Amber Bay, where amber was previously mined. It is now a lake with some unique sculptures in the middle of the water.
One of the many sculptures at the tranquil Amber Bay.
There are hills nearby with trails that supposedly help with recuperation so we went for an easy hike.
We got to the Sound Catcher, a giant wooden funnel that amplifies the sound of nature when you lie inside it. There is a lighthouse, too, but access to the top is blocked.
We then headed down the hills to the beach, where we were waylaid by an amazing and delectable sight. There were many blueberry bushes along the trail to the beach, so we stopped to stuff our faces with some wild seasonal berries.
When we got to the white sandy beach, there were only a few people around. The water in the Baltic Sea was cold but the sun was out that day, so a dip was pleasant and refreshing.
Wooden sculptures based on local folklore and myths at Hills Of Witches.
Later, we went to the Hills Of Witches, a trail through the hills dotted with numerous Lithuanian folklore and pagan wooden sculptures of witches, devils, dragons and goblins. Some of the figures appeared eerie and grotesque!
There were a few swings, see-saws and slides around too.
An eerie playful see-saw at the Hills Of Witches.
On our last day, we went to the Colony Of Grey Cormorants, a migrating fish-eating bird numbering in their thousands, that drove out the native grey heron. Despite their acidic droppings causing the trees to become bare, and their fish diet, the grey cormorants are deemed “not a threat to the environment” and are in fact, a tourist attraction.
Bewitched by the Hills Of Witches before and saddened that we had to leave, we made our way back there again hoping to find a spell for a longer stay but sadly it was not granted!
The views expressed are entirely the reader’s own.
