Purekkari Cape

Purekkari neem is the most northerly point of the Estonian mainland, a low spit of sand and glacial boulders reaching out from the end of the Parispea peninsula in Lahemaa. The spit is the product of land uplift, which continues here at a measurable rate as the crust rebounds from the last ice age, so the point is slowly growing. Walking out along it means picking a way between erratic boulders left by the ice, with the Gulf of Finland on both sides and no shelter. A marked path leads from the parking area through pine forest to the shore. Purekkari is at the end of a peninsula that also holds Viinistu and the village of Parispea.

The landscape

• The spit - the low boulder point running north into the gulf.
• Glacial erratics - the boulders scattered along the shore.
• The northernmost marker - the point at the end of the mainland.
• Pine forest - the woodland behind the shore.

When to go

May to September for the walk; the point is exposed and bleak in winter with ice pushing boulders on the shore. Calm days are best since the spit is fully exposed to wind. Sunset light suits the boulder field.

Practical notes

The point is a low spit, not a dramatic headland, and disappoints those expecting cliffs. It is exposed with no shelter or facilities. The boulder shore is awkward walking. The path from the car park takes about fifteen minutes.

Nearby

Viinistu lies south on the same peninsula; Kasmu is south-east.

Key facts