Bog swimming in Estonia (no snorkel required)

Ella Foote discovers the secret to staying young forever and why Estonia should become your next swim destination

Water that is pure and drinkable, 10,000 years of natural history beneath you and the secret to staying young forever – these are just three brilliant reasons you will want to dip into one of the many bog pools in Estonia, but there are many more.

Until recently, Estonia wasn’t a destination on my radar. For a long time, it was a country lost in the Soviet Union, a big part of the world map in school geography books named USSR. In the early 2000s I remember hearing more about Estonia when they won and subsequently hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, but until pals started booking flights to Tallin for the Winter Swimming World Championship I didn’t consider it a place to visit, which seems to be common mistake. When I told people I was off to visit Estonia to swim in bogs, even the most adventurous swimmers I knew seemed surprised at the idea.

Here’s why Estonia should be your next wild swimming destination

Estonians are proud of their wild territories, incredible wildlife, stunning landscapes and that you are never more than 10km from a bog at any given point. Over half of the country is covered in forest, which means Estonia has one of the best air qualities in the world and as a result, Estonian’s have a special connection to the outdoors. Their wildlife includes brown bears, wolves and lynxes, as well as beavers, moose, otters and incredible birds. The country is small, so in just four days we were able to do a large loop around the nation and explore coastal regions, lakes, bogs and forests. As well as all this, Estonia is among the least densely populated countries in Europe so during the whole trip it often felt like a private paradise. It seems to be a wonderland of solitude, swimming and sponge!

There are direct flights to Tallin from some UK airports, but we flew via Stockholm from Heathrow with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). If you wanted to make a bit more of an adventure you could easily fly or get the train to several other northern European countries and then continue your journey via train, bus or boat. We spent one night in Tallin, arriving late at night, but we didn’t explore the city itself. It is a beautiful city, rich in history with gorgeous Gothic architecture and cobblestoned streets in the Old Town. Next time, we would love to explore the city more, but this trip was about experiencing as many swimming opportunities as we could and Estonia has many!

On our first day we met with local guide Marilin Pehka, who promised to change our lives by immersing us in Estonian nature. We travelled east into the Kõrvemaa region, less than an hour from Tallin by road or rail. After a brief stop to see Jägala Waterfall, where Marilin insisted we walk barefoot through the river stream above the falls, we headed into Põhja Kõrvemaa nature reserve for our first bog swimming experience. Marilin hosts tourists throughout the year from her home, Uuejärve Matkapesa and at the Kõrvemaa Hiking and Ski Resort. In winter she offers cross-country skiing, ice skating and dog sledging. In summer the options are endless with such a big natural playground. Fat-biking, hiking, swimming, white night camping and so much more. The Kõrvemaa nature reserve was once military land, so there are endless dirt tracks that lead into the forest and offer access to lakes, bogs and hiking trails. The right to roam in Estonia is codified in law and it was liberating to be able to explore without fear of trespassing.

We headed into the forest where we feasted on wild blueberries, strawberries and cloudberries as we walked. Marilin shared her knowledge and experience of the flower, fauna and trees as we went. She showed us the ant highway we may have otherwise missed and encouraged us to walk barefoot between swimming spots. The bog land is stunning. Out of the forest, trees change to lowland plants, bushes and pine, the spongey ground flourishes with life. A network of boardwalks lead into the bogland with multiple trails, swimming spots and viewing platforms. Wild cranberries, fly-trap plants and heathers thrive on the marshland. We didn’t walk for long before the small trees opened out into a lush, green expanse with dark cola-coloured water. Marilin talked us through how to enter and exit the bog for a swim and then it was our turn.

Bogs in Estonia are the oldest organic landscapes, up to 10,000 years old. The first bogs emerged out of the last ice age when meltwater collected in depressions created by glacier ice. Over thousands of years plants then grew and died within the shallow, oxygen-deprived meltwater lakes. As a result, the plant material didn’t decompose, but created an ever-lasting peat-turf, turning the water acidic. Every year, roughly 1mm of organic material accumulates, which means in most Estonian bogs the peat layer is 5-7m, which is about 5,000-7,000 years of age. Bogs are huge sponges that store huge amounts of water and create bog pools. The water is acidic because of the sphagnum moss and while the water is pure and drinkable, it won’t quench your thirst due to the lack of minerals and nutrients. In the past, locals were afraid of bogs and also avoided them because bogland is a challenge – you sink in it, and it is hard to navigate. Today they are a source of foraged food and a wonderful place to hike, paddle, swim and explore.

Stepping off the boardwalk onto soggy land we find a ‘hanging tree’ for our clothes and towels. The closer to the bog pool the softer and wetter the ground got. It feels wonderful underfoot, with each step water squirts up and out between your toes. It feels like if you stand still too long you might continue to sink into the sponge. At the bog pool we sit, lean forward and launch into the water. The bog is deep and bottomless. Despite the dark-cola coloured water, it isn’t scary but stunning. The water texture is soft, smooth and gentle. The surface is warm from the sun, but only an inch or two below it is cooler and when you drop your feet down, it is icy cold. Dragonflies hover above and at eyelevel the bog is a beautiful weave of roots, grasses and plants disappearing into the black water. It is wild. As well as swimming in a pool of natural history, it feels other-worldly and enchanting.

Our day with Marilin continues with a swim in a rainwater lake in the forest, more berry foraging and ends at the coast with a surprisingly warm sea swim. We eat and sleep at Wirkes’ Restaurant and Hotel where we have an almost 360-degree view of the sea from our room. A small harbour on a peninsula with a lighthouse gives us the most spectacular sunset view. Estonia enjoys white nights where the sun rises around 4am and sets around 11pm, but never gets dark. We hardly sleep over our four days because you can just keep going and exploring, often not feeling sleepy, despite it being past midnight. It makes the trip feel longer and unique with a timeless magic.

On our second day we travel south with swim stops en route. We visit Lake Peipus, Estonia’s largest lake and the fifth largest in Europe. Here we swim off Kauksi Beach which is long, sandy and popular with locals. A boardwalk runs the length of the beach here too, enabling you to find an ideal spot to set down a towel. There is ample parking, free too, as well as changing areas and seating away from the sand. The water is shallow and warm, so popular with families. I swim, looking out across the water wondering if anyone has swum across the lake to Russia or perhaps the 157km in length. En route to our evening accommodation, we visit Varnja Village of Old Believers and experience a traditional smoke sauna, which is over 100 years old and our hosts feed us onion pie, rhubarb lemonade and smoked fish. In 2014, UNESCO included the smoke sauna in its Cultural Heritage list, it is a must-do if you visit Estonia.

We ended our second day in the south of the country with lndrek and Liina Maripuu at their fantastic RemoteNow nature and event space complete with private bog, sauna and boutique sleeping cabins. As well as an inventive business, RemoteNow is their home and we were made to feel part of the family. As well as cooking and hosting us at their beautiful waterside location, they also took us swimming in the black and white lakes local to them. RemoteNow is designed as a ‘workation’ destination for people to gather, create and develop their teams and businesses, but it is also a special place offering retreat and wild swimming. Indrek and Liina offer year-round accommodation in unique hive-shaped cabins. We absolutely loved it here. A maze of boardwalks joins the accommodation to the bog, sauna and communal spaces. The bog is deep and cool, sauna hot and beautifully located floating on the water. We found it incredibly hard to leave!

After a morning bog swim and sauna at RemoteNow, we headed back north to our final destination, Soomaa National Park. On route we stopped in Viljandi for lunch and explored castle ruins and Viljandi’s famous suspension bridge. Soomaa is most known for its extensive bogs and forests but is also famous for its flood meadows in spring after snow and ice melt. We stayed at the Soomaa Holiday Village on the banks of the Halliste River, which meant a river swim as well as more bog adventures. The holiday village has accommodation in cozy houses, camping and campervan spots. From here you can explore the bogs by hiking, canoeing or cycling. From here there are multiple tours and experiences on offer, some guide-led and some self-led. We took the opportunity for a guided sunrise bog swim with breakfast picnic.

A sunrise swim is always a good idea, but never an easy thing to do in summer and even more of a challenge when sunrise is at 4am. Setting an alarm for 3am to enable us to be up and ready to meet our guide riverside was tough after so little sleep over our trip. We met our guide, Aivar Ruukel, at his old family home where he took us across the river in traditional dugout canoes. Beyond a forest at the river’s edge is Riisa bog and another network of boardwalks. Here there is 5km hiking trail that passes multiple swimming platforms, complete with wooden steps into the bog pools. Being guided by Aivar we were able to take a shortcut across the river straight into the bog and arrived at a bog pool in plenty of time to enjoy the sunrise. Unlike the other bog pools, this one was warm and we spent an hour swimming, floating and enjoying the sunrise as mist danced over the peatland. Soomaa Holiday Village had prepared us a breakfast basket with hot coffee, black bread sandwiches and creamcheese filled pancakes. It was one of the most incredible experiences and one I urge every swimmer to go and enjoy!

Back at the holiday village, we were able to get some sleep before a brunch was prepared, which we enjoyed beside the river before travelling back to Tallinn to fly home. There was so much to Estonia that was totally unexpected. Being able to enjoy travelling around a small country over a long weekend was pure adventure. The vast, flat and nature-rich landscape gave us endless joy. Bog swimming in treacle-coloured water and the maze of boardwalks are incredible. Summer seasons are short but Estonia should be on your destination list and if, like me, you love it, you will want to return in winter to see how it differs before returning again in summer to explore more and more.

Where we stayed

• Nordic Hotel Forum: nordichotels.eu
• Wirkes: wirkes.ee/hotel
• RemoteNow: remotenow.club
• Soomaa Holiday Village: soomaapuhkekyla.com

Our guides

• Marilin Pehka:  visitkorvemaa.ee
• Herling ja Marko: mesitare.ee
• Indrek Maripuu: remotenow.club
• Aivar Ruukel: soomaa.com

With thanks to Visit Estonia