A Guide to Geocaching in Estonia
Since the beginning of the game, geocaching and technology have gone hand-in-hand (quite literally) in the form of GPS units and smartphones. It’s therefore no surprise that Estonia, a global leader in high-tech, loves geocaching. Estonia is the newest country to be added to the growing list of country souvenirs.
The farthest north of the Baltic states, Estonia is bordered by Russia, Latvia, and the Baltic Sea with Finland a short hop via ferry to the north. It’s a small country, about twice the size of New Jersey, with a population of just over one million. Those relatively small numbers have produced a wealth of high-quality, fun, creative geocaches. Here we feature a few of our favorites.
This traditional cache is hidden in St. Catherine’s Passage, a medieval alley with a romantic vibe in old Tallinn (Estonia’s capital). At one end of the passage you’ll find large, ancient tombstones that used to line the inside of St. Catherine’s church. At the other end are a series of workshops where artisans make stained glass, ceramics, jeweler, quilts, and leather goods and hats. The cache is tucked away somewhere in between.
GC31V9H is a cache inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. When you find it, you’ll understand why. It’s a great example of the type of attention to detail found in a lot of Estonian geocaches. In fact, if you don’t say, “Awwwwww” the minute you see it, we’d be surprised. The multi-cache waypoints take you on a beautiful walk through fields covered alternately with berries and mushrooms, depending on the season.
GC151N3 is one of Estonia’s coolest EarthCaches. It’s the site of a series of meteorite craters near the village of Kaali, on the Estonian island of Saaremaa. The 9 craters all result from the impact of a single meteor, which broke apart into fragments upon passing through Earth’s atmosphere, some 7,500 years ago (though the time range of the craters’ formations is debated). The location is utterly unique, replete with geological and social historical oddities.
This cache is one for the adventurous. Just 42 minutes outside of Tallinn lies the Rummu quarry, an old limestone mining site. While the quarry was operational, inmates at the nearby Murru prison made up its workforce. When the prison was closed and its water pumps shut down, the quarry filled with water, drowning several buildings, and making for an excellent (but unsupervised!) swimming and diving spot. The cache takes you to the top of an ash hill above the quarry, where you’ll find an unmatched view at sunset.
This D5/T5 multi-cache is at least a full-day’s adventure. It’s located on one of Estonia’s largest islands, Naissaar, which is covered in protected coniferous forest. But stroll for a while along the nature trails and you’ll eventually come upon artifacts and ruins from a long history of military activity on the island. These include cemeteries for British sailors from the Crimean War, Soviet bunkers, and deep-sea mine anchors. If you’re taking this one on, bring a flashlight, friends to keep you company, and some common sense.
This cache in south-eastern Estonia requires special equipment. Namely, bog shoes. It’s no surprise that bog walking, a cousin of snowshoeing which has one trudging across pudding-like peat moss rather than snow, is a popular activity for both tourists and locals: about one-fifth of Estonia’s mainland is covered by bogs and mires. And many of those bogs and mires contain geocaches, such as this one hidden at the end of a hike through beautiful, soggy, and boggy landscapes.
What geocaches are on your Estonian geocaching trip bucket list? Find a geocache in Estonia, and you’ll earn the brand new Estonia country souvenir!
