from Kassari to Heltermaa

The weather seems fine so I opt for the correct trail that crosses the sea. Kalle prefers to make a slight detour along the road. We split up after a snack at the Kassari shop.

Kassari chapel is open, two ladies are preparing it for the summer. So they say. They also inform me that the chapel is always open and everyone is welcome to look inside. Unlike churches on mainland that are usually firmly locked.

Windy near the sea. The trail crosses wide open land. I try to guess where I have to cross, all land seems very far away. When I finally reach the crossing, it does not look scary. Boots off, Skinners’ socks on and off I go. At first there are some strange holes and I circle around them but then the ground gets even and water reaches just above my toes. It’s not as cold as I expected. Also, it seems that wind has blown most of the water away. The last stretch is just muddy, with no real water. The hardest part is removing sand from between my toes and attaching the dirty socks on my backpack. More wet ground follows, I find some higher parts and a few trail marks that are broken.

A long straight road in airy forest after that. I spot a red deer. Loud splashing in a ditch comes from two ducks chasing each other.

Kalle waits for me already in front of the Suuremõisa manor. No café but we get water from inside and make some coffee.

Some forest and some paved road before Sarve. There’s uncomfortable gavel until Nastlaiu tiny port. The area (alvar) has been restored and now looks like in the 1930ies photographs with few junipers and flowery grassland. I finally understand why the official end point is Sarve and not Heltermaa, although the trail and probably everybody on it finish in Heltermaa. Signs pointing either to Heltermaa or to Heltermaa would not be very informative.

Last kilometers along windy and rocky beach. Sun is setting and two beers are waiting for us in the Heltermaa hotel. We have proven that Hiiumaa is round.

34 km today.