Location: Neringa Map
Area: 264 km²
Info: Taikos 4, Nida (469) 52 345
Kuršių Nerija National Park located in Neringa region of Lithuania
covers an area of 264 km² of Curonian Spit. This peninsula is 98 km long
and 4 km wide. The Spit stretches from Zelenogradsk to the Lithuanian
city of Klaipeda. In December of 2000 Curonian Spit went on an UNESCO
World Heritage list. You can get here by ferry from Smiltyne. Sand dunes
with pine forests have been settled by fishing communities since the
ancient times. Some of the artifacts are gathered in Neringa History
Museum. During the Viking Age the Spit was settled by the Vikings near
modern village Rybachy.
If you travel to spit by car, you won't
miss the famous "Witch Mountain" that offers a panorama of Kuršių Nerija
National Park. Behind village of Yuodakrante sand dunes began to rise to
a height of 30- 40 meters. The are locally referred as "dead" or
"walking" dunes. Village of Nida has a house- museum of Thomas Mann, a
German writer and Nobel laureate, who lived here with his family in the
summers. Hiking and bicycle trails are crossing much of the natural
park. Bicycles are available for rent in many local offices.
Besides sand dunes Kuršių Nerija National Park is also covered by
forests of pine trees of several species. Locals often gather mushrooms
in the late summer as well as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
and raspberries. Unless you know what you are doing don't risk gathering
it yourself. Some of the mushrooms and berries by have hallucinogenic
effect and some might cause poisoning. Other than that there are no
dangerous animals on the peninsula.
nature
The park protects: the great dune ridge of the Curonian
Spit, the old parabolic dunes at Juodkrante, the dead or gray dunes at
the former, now flooded settlements of Agila and Naglii, the flooded
Parnidis and Sklandytaių dunes, the flooded buried soils, as well as the
coastal and coastal marshes, the protective coastal dune ridge, unique
flora and fauna, as well as forests with old-growth forest fragments.
Valuable protective coastal dune ridge, unique plant and animal
communities of the Curonian Spit, forests with old forest fragments,
lagoon and sea ecosystems.
A bird migration route stretches
through the spit, where millions of birds of various species pass
through in spring and autumn. There is a bird ringing station 30 km from
Klaipėda. Great views are offered from the observation decks on Mount
Garniai, in the Naglii Nature Reserve, on the Parnidis and Vecekrug
dunes and at the foot of the Karvaičiai dunes, in the Pervalka Bay, on
the Meška galvos dune.
The park stands out for its uniqueness,
because the narrow peninsula of the Curonian Spit, located between the
Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea, is made of sand brought by water
currents. Wind-swept dunes, wet lowlands (palve), beaches - all this
relatively young landscape is constantly changing. In order to contain
the blowing sand, large areas of the dunes were planted with forest. In
the old spit forest, especially closer to the sea, due to the constantly
blowing winds, the trees grow leaning. The shores of the Curonian Lagoon
are sandy here, with several bays overgrown with reeds. In many places,
the shores of still-living dunes descend into the lagoon. The dry and
infertile soils of the spit, sudden and frequent weather changes, and
strong winds prevented the expansion of settlements and were favorable
for the formation of distinctive vegetation.
Vegetation
In
total, about 900 plant species grow in the Curonian Spit National Park
(31 of which are listed in the Lithuanian Red Book). Here grows the
littoral sedge, the Tyrolean heather, which cannot be found anywhere
else in Lithuania, and many plants characteristic of open sandy soils.
The park is famous for its sand dunes typical of sandy biotopes.
Fragments of old coastal pine forests have survived only near Juodkrantė
and Nida. Young pine and mountain pine stands predominate. Mushrooms
grow in the park.
Birds
The park has favorable conditions for
birds to breed and stay. One of the most impressive bird colonies is
located near Juodkrantė. Here, in the old pines and firs, there is a
mixed colony of great cormorants and gray herons - about 1,500 pairs.
Viewpoints have been installed on Mount Avinas, Pilkojis dunes in
Nagliu reserve, dunes near Pervalka, as well as on Parnidis dune in
Nida. And it is convenient to observe the waterfowl and ponds that
migrate along the coast from almost anywhere.
Animals
Moose,
wild boars, roe deer, foxes, hares, badgers, and sable dogs breed in the
park. Sometimes long-nosed seals wander into the sea (listed in the
Lithuanian Red Book)
Among the small animals that live in the
spit are marmots, marmots, weasels, muskrats, Canadian minks (an
invasive species), beavers, otters (listed in the Lithuanian Red Book),
yellow-necked mice and woodpeckers.
Cultural values
In
addition to natural values, cultural heritage objects are also protected
in the national park: ethnographic fishermen's homesteads, old 19th
century the end of the 20th century early villas in the settlements of
Nida, Juodkrantė, Preila, Pervalka, Smiltynė, the cultural layers of the
old settlements, the old cemetery of Nida, the Evangelical Lutheran
churches of Nida and Juodkrantė, other typical buildings of wooden
architecture.
Interesting old Nida cemeteries, memorial sites,
areas of blown-up villages. There are several museums - the Natural
Museum of the Curonian Spit National Park, the Maritime Museum-Aquarium
in Smiltyne, the Fisherman's Ethnographic Homestead, an exposition of
residents' businesses, the Amber Gallery-Museum, the T. Mano Culture
Center in Nida. Many well-maintained and restored coastal fishermen's
homesteads, which are especially abundant in the old parts of Nida and
Juodkrantė, attract the eye.
Leisure and entertainment
The
park has exceptional conditions for recreation: fish lagoons, clean
coastal beaches, mushroom forests. Excellent conditions for sailing.
There are ports in Nida, Juodkrantė and Smiltyne, and marinas in Preila,
Pervalka and Nida. A bicycle path has been built in the Curonian Spit
(the length of the track is 53 km.), bicycles are available for rent in
Nida and Juodkrante. There is a footpath in the Naglai Reserve. For
nature protection purposes, it is forbidden to build campfires and pitch
tents in the spit. You can stay in a rest house or with local residents.
It is possible to make a wonderful walking trip from Nida to
Juodkrantė along the coast, except for the territory of the nature
reserve, and from Nida to Pervalka by sea. Since the landscapes of the
spit are particularly sensitive, it is not allowed to destroy the dunes
here, it is forbidden to build tents, make bonfires, walk in the
territories of nature reserves, except for specially equipped
educational trails. In the Grobšto and Naglii reserves, it is forbidden
to walk on their entire territory. Local organizers of canoe trips offer
familiarization with canoeing through the Naglii Reserve.
The
best conditions for sailing are in lagoons and seas. There are yacht
clubs in Smiltyne and Nida that accept yachts of various sizes. Here you
can rent windsurfing boards, yachts with a crew, and organize
recreational yacht excursions around the Curonian Lagoon. Travelers can
stay at Smiltynės yacht club, Nida hotels. A new marina with all the
necessary equipment has been built in Juodkrante. Here, as well as in
Nida and other settlements of the Curonian Spit, small yachts sail in
the summer and are happy to ferry tourists. Windsurfing is allowed
without restrictions. It is also offered to sail on land with Blokart
windmills, and in winter with Ice-Blokart ice sleds.
European
National and Natural Parks Day, Earth Day, Forest Day, Fisherman's Day,
Curonian Lagoon Regatta, festivals - musical winter in Neringa, T. Mano
international festival, "Musica Baltica", "Musica Domestica", "Tek
sauluže ant maružių" are held in the park. " etc.