Reports from the terrain

Summer in Estonia is at its best. However, those who prefer cross-country skiing to cross-country navigation would claim that it is a very bad skiing weather. But summer in Estonia is short and you never know what it is going to be in September.
So why didn't we arrange the WRC in July?
The problem is that it is the nesting period of eagles who live in the national park and for this and other reasons several areas in the park are out-of-bounds for general visitors.

Enjoying the current nice summer days, the course-setting team and the mapper are currently tramping on the terrain checking the control sites and correcting the map.
Ilmar Kirjanen, our course-setter, is finalizing the course. Each control site is visited by 3 persons: the course-setter, the vetter and the mapper. This double checking is to secure that all controls will be correctly placed.
My duty, among others, is to ensure that the map will be adequate. Basically, all the credits go to the authors of the base maps, who have done a really good job. These persons are: Kalle Remm, Kalle Kalm, Madis Oras, Avo Veermäe, Toivo Kotov and many others. Without their courtesy to use their maps this event would not had been possible on this terrain.
All the blaim for any remaining inaccuracies and mistakes is to be addressed to me.
The story is that yesterday I had a wild strawberry diet. Today, it was a blueberry and wild rasperry diet. You know, if you observe mistakes on the map, it's because it was difficult to resist eating wild strawberries and blueberries, and the progress on the map was therefore slow. While I was eating strawberries (plenty of them!), all sorts of flying creatures were eating me! This is the circle of the nature.

Now, more seriously. By no means, the terrain will not be easy. National park is not equivalent to a town park. The terrain is really very varied, from nice hilly meadows to a real 'jungle' where progress is slow.
It is going to be technical and physically demanding. If you considered that this is a flat terrain - yes, you are right, it's relatively flat compared to Alps or Warrumbungles, but this does not mean easy.
So, you shall expect mixed feelings. You are going to like it, and you are going to hate it. But all-in-all, it is not too bad. You just need to have the right expectations and the right gear and clothes. By September, the nights will be dark and possibly cold, so be prepared!
More hints closer to the event.

Best wishes,
Lauri Leppik
Ähijärve

Good weather continues in Estonia. The weather is currently even too good for rogaining. But it's a good time to enjoy the nature in Karula. Birds are abundant. Lots of storks, but I have also seen a common crane, a spotted eagle and a tawny owl, which are rather rare birds in Estonia. From animals I have seen a couple of dears (in a close distance) and a fox. The male dear makes a noise which resembles a dog barking on a low voice, trying to scare you off, when you are too close. Could be quite frightening during the night.
I have also seen a beaver swimming in the lake in early morning hours. There are many beavers in Karula, probably far too many. As you may know, beavers like water, they build dams, large areas in some parts of the terrain are overflown and the water level in many ditches is high due to beaver activity.
Although the event will be in the uplands - Karula Uplands - in some parts of the terrain you may start to believe it's actually lowlands. In any case, it will be difficult to prevent getting wet feet.

Using the warm and sunny weather, farmers in Karula have been making hay. On some fields, there are also cattle and lambs. Farmers here use electric fencing. The wires are actually rather low, about 50-70 cm from the ground, so depending on your abilities you shall either step/jump over or crawl under the wire. In some places where the hiking trail crosses the electric fence, there are also special gates with the shape of <<, requiring a quick twist of hips, if you are running.

Even when days are warm and dry, it does get humid during the nighttime. Obviously, more so, should it rain in September. Take this into account when you are planning to tent in Ähijärve before/during/after the event. The tenting ground is up on a hill while the lake is just nearby.
More hints to come.

Best wishes,
Lauri

Well-well, hot summer days are gone and it has been raining for two days in a row. You should take this as a reminder that just anything can happen in September and it is advisable to pack appropriate raingear.

And yes, nettles, stinging nettles. All Estonian rogainers and orienteers 'love' this plant, which grows in marshy forest and near ditches, and gives you a long-lasting itch when touched. If you do not like this itchy feeling, you should look for nettle-proof trousers. Two layers of orienteering trousers also provide good protection.

Lauri