A bird paradise that everyone should see
Tyrai is a unique area, where you can hear birds singing all year round. A wide variety of them can be seen in Tyrai, and if you are lucky, at sunset you may even hear the song of an aquatic wabler – a particularly rare and globally endangered bird – since Tyrai is the main habitat for the spieces.
Three different types of ecosystems can be seen throughout the picturesque 6km-long path.
You will walk through an old forest of deciduous and coniferous trees, serving as a home to many types of wild animals, such as deer, elk, boars, foxes, raccoon dogs, badgers, and rabbits amongst others. If you are observant enough, you may even see their footprints and traces! Processes in this forest are purely natural, without any intervention from people. Therefore, do not be surprised when you see old rotten trees lying around – they host different types of insects and therefore are an extremely important part of the ecosystem.
As you continue, you will pass by a swamp, which can be easily accessed through a wooden bridge. At the end of it you will have a chance to have a closer look at the unique flora of the ecosystem.
As soon as you leave the forest, you will reach a wet marshy meadow. The path here continues through natural and man-made hills unflooded by the lagoon waters. Such hills at the skirts of the forest were where farmers used to build their homesteads. Every year a huge amount of birds breed in the meadow. This would not be possible without the foresters of Kretinga State Forest Enterprise, who practice sustainable farming and keep the meadow suitable for breeding.
At the end of the Tyrai trail you will find a viewpoint from where you can see vast meadows as well as the lagoon with the dunes of the Curonian Spit on the horizon.
The trail goes through the paths that were only used by the foresters and natural scientists before. Take your time to discover it, listen to the sounds of the forest, observe the differences between the ecosystems, and enjoy the smells of nature along the way. The trail is family-friendly and can be completed only by walking. The length of the trail – a round trip to the viewpoint and back – is around 6 km long. Although it is most beautiful in summer, it has its charm during any other time of the year as well.
While the trail is relatively easy to walk, the surface in the forest as well as in the meadow may be slippery and wet, therefore make sure to wear suitable footwear and be careful throughout the hike.
The trail begins halfway between the towns of Priekulė and Dreverna, where the main road crosses King Wilhelm‘s canal. You can leave your cars and bicycles at a parking lot there, as the Tyrų trail can only be completed on foot.
Download the map of the trail here
Did you like the trail?
Share it with your friends (hashtag #Tyrai), recommend it on TripAdvisor and let everyone know you have been there via Foursquare. Perhaps soon you will be able to find the trail on Geocaching!
The trial of Tyrai was established during the implementation of the project “Securing Sustainable Farming to Ensure Conservation of Globally Threatened Bird Species in Agrarian Landscape (Baltic Aquatic Warbler)”
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