Sjön Peipus i Estland - byfest, lök och gammaltroende

Lake Peipus in Estonia is located in the eastern part of the country and is known for its onion farms and its 'old believers' population. Here we ended up at a lively village festival, had lunch at a beautiful ghost castle and frolicked on a rollicking beach.

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Lake Peipus in Estonia

Located on the border between Estonia and Russia, Lake Peipus is Europe's fifth largest lake after Ladoga, Onega, Lake Vänern and Lake Saimaa. We drove from Narva to the northernmost part of the lake, which took about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

READ MORE: Narva in Estonia - on the border with Russia
READ MORE: The cliffs of Ontika in Estonia - and Oru Park in Toila

Village festival in Rannapungerja, by Lake Peipus

We had been in contact with the local tourist office in the region, Visit Peipsi, in advance and called when we were on our way. (We just think Pepsi when we hear the word, haha.) They were just organising a local festival, Lake Peipus festival (Peipsi Järvefestival), and wondered if we wanted to come. Of course we did!

The Lake Peipus festival travels by boat around the lake, from village to village, for a week. When we arrived, the festival was in the village of Rannapungerja. The weather was really dreary, but that didn't stop the villagers from gathering around stalls and various playful activities.

We bought a smoked perch and a local beer each and munched in the campervan, listening to the band playing and watching the locals dancing.

Boat trip in the evening on Lake Peipus

The old wooden ship, which is the signature of the festival, made several trips with villagers during the evening. We joined the last tour at 10pm. At this time it was almost magical to glide around on the calm lake. Very nice!

Afterwards we found our way to the "sauna boat" where we drank and took a sauna. We met really nice locals and also a couple from Stockholm, where the woman had her roots in this very area. A nice and late evening! The photo shows when the sauna boat the next morning when it drives on to the next village ...

READ MORE: 10 things to do in Tartu, Estonia
READ MORE: Rakvere fortress in Estonia - history and spectacle

De gammaltroende - The old believers

Many of the people living around Lake Peipus in Estonia belong to the 'Old Believers', or 'Raksolniks' as they may also be called. These are the descendants of the Orthodox Christians in Russia who left the Russian Orthodox Church in the Great Schism of 1666-1667 (raskol). The group refused to submit to the new church order, and as a result they were persecuted and their priests burned alive.

Around 30 000 Old Believers fled to Estonia, and were allowed to settle on Lake Peipus. This part of the country was considered 'worst' because the soil was wet and difficult to grow crops. The group discovered that they could grow onions and still live there. Today, the Old Believers' communities have around 15 000 members.

Peipsimaa Museum - museum of the Old Believers

Peipsimaa Museum is a brand new museum of the Old Believers, which we visited. The museum is located in Tiheda, just south of Mustvee. Here we got a really interesting guided tour!

Museum vid sjön Peipus i Estland — Museum guide shows the crosses of the Old Believers

In the past, Old Believers always wore black (except on important holidays) and were not allowed to drink alcohol or smoke. Today the rules have been relaxed and most wear plain clothes, but many pray several times a day and most follow a strict diet.

Many days of the year have special food rules; for example, one day you can eat rice but not eggs, while another day you can eat eggs but not rice. The children usually attend Russian-speaking schools, together with Russian-speaking children who are not Old Believers, and in order to avoid the complexity of all the food rules, the children bring their own lunch boxes.

Gammal bok på museum vid sjön Peipus i Estland

We were invited to tea at the museum and were taught how to drink as the Old Believers did in the past. We put a sugar cube in our mouths, poured the tea into the saucer and drank, as we Swedes did in the past.

The city of Kallaste

We continued south along the lake and took a look at the cosy little town of Kallaste, which with its 800 inhabitants is Estonia's smallest town.

Alatskivi Castle

From Kallaste it was very close to Alatskivi Castle. This castle was completed in 1885, commissioned by Baron Georg von Nolcken for his wife Caroline Elise von Loewenstern. The castle blends Estonian culture with influences from Scotland and Germany.

Slottet Alatskivi vid sjön Peipus i Estland

We had a guided tour of the castle, which was very nice and interesting. The owners had to give up the castle during the communist land reform, and then moved most of the interior to Germany. The interior today is recreated to look like the original, but since it is not original, unlike other castles, you can sit down wherever you want.

In the past, the basement floor was only occupied by servants, and there is now an exhibition about them. The castle also houses an exhibition on the Estonian-Swedish Eduard Tubin, who comes from this region.

We had lunch at the castle's restaurant; super good perch and an equally good cheesecake. There is also a newly opened café at the castle, and those who want to stay over can sleep in one of the castle's four rooms. You just have to be prepared to perhaps get a visit from the (nice) ghost of the castle. One of the tower rooms is built without a door - and that's where the ghost lives!

Lunch på slottet Alatskivi vid sjön Peipus i Estland

Kaffe och kaka på slottet Alatskivi vid sjön Peipus i Estland

READ MORE: Haapsalu in Estonia - Noisy village charm on the coast
READ MORE: Rummu quarry in Estonia - prison turned bathing paradise

Visit to an onion farmer

After the visit to the castle, Katrin, from Visit Peipsi, took us to one of the many onion growers at Lake Peipus. Here they grow all onions. The onion grows well in the wet soil and also tastes different from other onions. However, making a living from onion farming is difficult. The onion farmer we visited told us that he grows two tonnes of onions a year "as a hobby", and sells them to tourists who pass by. Many people in the area are retired and use onion farming to supplement their pensions.

The onion goes through different phases, and in the first year it looks like the flowers in the picture below.

In addition to onions, carrots, peas and various plants that can be used for tea and as medicines were grown.

We were invited to tea and a delicious pie with onion filling. It is nice along the lake, but the area is gradually depopulating and no one here knows what the future will be. There are not many jobs here, and the young people choose to move to Tartu, which is a university town full of young people.

Free camping at Lake Peipus in Estonia

In the evening we fricamped on the beach in Varnja. Absolutely fantastic! Here we were, all alone, at a nice beach. At the beach there were also barbecue areas, toilets and rubbish collection.

Facts about Lake Peipus in Estonia

Name: Peipus (in Estonian Peipsi)
Size: 3550 square kilometres
Average depth: 7 metres
Deepest point: 15 metres
Lake areas: The lake is divided into three lake areas. The northernmost part occupies 73 per cent of the lake's surface. The middle one is the smallest (7 per cent) and is called Lämmijärv in Estonian. The southernmost part is called Lake Pskov (Pihkva järv) and accounts for about 20 per cent of the total surface area.
Field of application: Fishing and leisure

Things to see and do around Lake Peipus

Towns and villages: Vasknarva, Rannapungerja, Lohusuu, Mustvee, Kallaste, Kolkja, Varnja, Emajõe-Suursoo, Piirissaare, Mehikoorma, Võõpsu and Värska.
Museum: Peipsimaa Museum (Address: Sõpruse 86, Tiheda küla) is open Tuesday-Sunday all year round. Adults pay €4 and seniors and students pay €2.
Castle: Alatskivi Castle (Address: Lossi tänav, Alatskivi) is open Tuesday-Sunday in summer and Wednesday-Sunday the rest of the year. The castle can be visited for a fee of €7 for adults, €5 for seniors and €4 for students. The guided tour in English costs €24 (2019).

Historical facts

13th century: In 1242, a battle between Novgorod troops led by Alexander Nevsky and German crusaders took place on the ice of Lake Peipus. The Novgorods were victorious in the battle.

Accommodation on Lake Peipus in Estonia

Hotel: There are several different accommodation along the lake, in the form of hotels, hostels, guest houses and bed & breakfasts. If you wish, you can stay in one of the four rooms in Alatskivi Castle.
Camping: There are several smaller campsites around the lake. Free camping is also possible in the area.

READ MORE: Facts about Estonia - 30 things you (might) not know

Programme "Promoting Estonia as a Tourism Destination" is supported by European Union Regional Development Fund.

9 Comments

Add yours →

Ama de casa says:

Wow how much you get to be involved in! A floating travelling festival sounded really fun and different 🙂 .

This is how my grandfather always drank his coffee - on tap, that is 🙂 .

Have a great Saturday!

13 July 2019 - 10:01

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, fun idea with the festival around the lake! ?? I also recognise that somewhat vague thing about drinking tea or coffee from the barrel! ?
  
  13 July 2019 - 16:20
  
Elisabeth says:

You will have very varied experiences! We travelled along the lake and walked around ivTsrtu many years ago, but we missed the festival emptying.

13 July 2019 - 13:16

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Nice that you have also been here at the lake! ??
  
  13 July 2019 - 16:21
  
BP says:

The header picture is a real highlight. What a photo. Wonderful adventures. The post really had everything and then some. How convenient to ride shotgun with you.

PS. But we have much better weather here;-) DS.

13 July 2019 - 18:55

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you like the picture! We really like this kind of travelling and this kind of adventure!
  
  13 July 2019 - 21:13
  
Mr Mart Jänes says:

Interesting reading!

14 July 2019 - 10:57

Lena in Wales says:

Very interesting about the Old Believers!
Also other interesting things about Estonia. Have only visited the country a few times, of course Tallin, but also Narva, nice to see again.

14 July 2019 - 11:34

Anna Gunilla Lantz says:

What an interesting trip! Thanks for the story and nice pictures!

19 July 2019 - 11:45

Lake Peipus in Estonia - village festivals, onions and old-timers

Lake Peipus in Estonia

Village festival in Rannapungerja, by Lake Peipus

Boat trip in the evening on Lake Peipus

De gammaltroende - The old believers

Peipsimaa Museum - museum of the Old Believers

The city of Kallaste

Alatskivi Castle

Visit to an onion farmer

Free camping at Lake Peipus in Estonia

Facts about Lake Peipus in Estonia

Things to see and do around Lake Peipus

Historical facts

Accommodation on Lake Peipus in Estonia

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9 Comments

Ama de casa says:

Helena says:

Elisabeth says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Mr Mart Jänes says:

Lena in Wales says:

Anna Gunilla Lantz says:

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