Rõuge Valley of Lakes

Rõuge sits in a primeval valley cut by meltwater at the end of the ice age, and seven lakes lie in a line along its floor. Rõuge Suurjärv, the largest, is 38 metres deep - the deepest in Estonia - and the valley sides rise steeply enough on both flanks to feel enclosed, which is rare here.

What you actually see

• The valley - a narrow green cut with lakes below and forest above, and the village of Rõuge strung along the rim.
• Ööbikuorg - the Nightingale Valley at the upper end, where in May the birds sing through the night and the sound fills the whole valley.
• The suspension bridge - a crossing over the valley, with a bird observation platform nearby.
• The hillfort - ancient remains on one of the spurs.

When to go

Mid-May to early June is for the nightingales, which is what the place is actually known for. July and August are for swimming in Suurjärv, which is clear and cold. Late September turns the valley sides and the lakes reflect it. In winter the lakes freeze and the paths are steep and icy.

Honest expectations

The valley is small and can be walked end to end in an hour or two. It is a place to sit rather than to cover ground.

The paths up and down the sides are steep and rooty, and there is no way round that if you want the views from the rim.

Nearby

Suur Munamägi is about fifteen minutes east. Võru and Lake Vagula are twenty minutes north, and Piusa caves are within an hour.