Karukõrve trip

Name of hiking trip: KARUKÕRVE TRIP
Rough length of hiking trip: 8 km
Location: Karukõrve swamp island, Marimetsa Nature Reserve, Leila village, Kullamaa parish, Lääne county

The first stop of the hiking tour is near Leila sacrifice place. Here, in this mystical place, you will find old oak-trees and a sacrificial stone. Sacrifices to the forest spirit are all right here. From that place the tour takes you further through a bog towards Karukõrve, where we spend most of the time on a square of approx. 1 m2, which is covered in the old untouched forest. In the mushroom season Karukõrve will always treat mushroom hunters with the most delicious wild mushrooms, including boletus (boletus edulis), red-capped scaber stalk (leccinum aurantiacum) as well as any other mushroom that can be easily found here, and, what’s more, in Karukõrve one might gather them just in one and the same place. And last but not least, here you can find such rare species like fistulina hepatica and cortinarius praestans. Generally, Karukõrve is a real paradise for mushroom hunters as many of the species known in Estonia are found here. We will go to the old oak Karukõrve forest which used to be an asylum. In the western part of the swamp island there are strange holes in the earth entrails, probably, they indicate where old limestone mines located – we will have a look at them, and let all good of wild nature influence our mind and soul. In the course of trekking adventure, we will retell you local legends, speak about the history of ancient Estonians, the mythology and traditions. The menu of lunch break in Karukõrve includes hot tea boiled from plants grown in the Estonian countryside, freshly baked scones, and chocolate for dessert. At the end of hiking day you can order a rich supper from organic products which is served in Lau village. Supper and a choice of dishes should be pre-ordered 3 days before. In addition, there is an opportunity to go to a smoke sauna and stay in the village for a night. An archaic looking smoke sauna is located near an idyllically peaceful pond, reflecting back the look, feel and smell of how people lived in the olden days. It plays the main role in time traveling (Ajamatkad), in bringing us back to our past.