So experiencing a sauna is the first thing a foreigner should learn about Estonians. Water is thrown on hot cobblestones on the stove, and in the steam created participants beat each other with bunches of birch, oak or juniper branches. When one can no longer stand the heat, the next step is to jump into a river, lake or the sea, taking care to break a hole in the ice first. If water is not available, a roll in the snow suffices. Estonians are used to the sauna, which can last for hours and hours.
Participation is optional.
For 40 years these forests were used as a training area by the Soviet Army. Although the army moved out of the area in 1992, it is still wild and uninhabited. Ride for 3 hours, then take a relaxing break for a picnic lunch by the river, followed by 3 more hours of riding. The trails are easy and the terrain ideal for riding. Today's destination is Kolga, a beautifully designed manor complex constructed in the classical style.