Dutchman's Cap

Olando kepurė, the Dutchman's Cap, is a bluff of glacial moraine rising about twenty-four metres directly from the beach on the coast north of Klaipėda, the highest point on the mainland shoreline, and its name is usually explained by a resemblance to a hat seen from the sea, or by a story about a Dutch ship. Erosion is steady: the sea takes the base and the face slumps, so the cliff retreats and trees fall onto the beach, which makes the top edge dangerous. A boardwalk and viewing platform have been built at a safe distance, with steps down to the shore. The Seaside Regional Park around protects the coast, with pine forest, the fishing village of Karklė and quiet beaches.

What you actually see

• The moraine cliff - twenty-four metres of glacial deposit above the sand.
• Active erosion - slumped faces and fallen trees on the beach.
• The viewing platform - the boardwalk overlook at a safe distance.
• Coastal pine forest - the park woodland behind the shore.

When to go

May to September for the beach and the walking; autumn storms make the erosion dramatic and the coast bleak. The site is open at all times and takes an hour or two.

Honest expectations

The cliff edge is genuinely dangerous and fenced for good reason; people have been injured. Amber hunting on the beach after storms is popular but rarely rewarded. Facilities are a car park and boardwalk. The Baltic is cold for swimming.

Nearby

Klaipėda lies south; Palanga is north along the coast.