Klaipeda District Tourism Information Center

The Way of St. James, section Adomavas-Pajūris-Didkiemis

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Briefly about the route
Easy
30 km
6 h.
Route surface

SECTION DESCRIPTION:

Your hike through the Šilalė district will begin in the village of Adomavas. After a rest, you can continue your journey towards Teneniai. Here, you will find the Church of St. Barbara. The church, built in 1782, is constructed from axe-sawn spruce logs and clad with steep planks on the outside. It features a crossed layout and a Baroque turret at the centre, topped with an ornamental iron cross. The proportions of the building reflect folk traditions, with the height of the façade matching its width. The interior of the church is characterised by the Baroque style. Particularly notable is the high altar, built in 1852 and painted and gilded in 1854. Teneniai has an Aibė shop.

You will continue on to Jomantai, where you'll find the Jūra shop.

From the village of Jomantai, the road continues towards Lileikėnai. Lileikėnai village is separated from the Pajūris town by the Jūra River, so you'll need to cross the river to reach it. A monkey bridge was constructed to provide a more convenient connection between the neighbouring areas. After crossing this bridge, you'll find yourself in Pajūris, on the grounds of the former Franciscan monastery. The monastery building was constructed in the 1870s and 1880s. Originally, it was a distillery. At the beginning of the 20th century, Kazimieras Nausėda purchased the building and established a water mill, sawmill, and a wool carding and spinning mill. Since 1928, part of the building has housed a dairy. The owner later bequeathed the building to the Franciscan monks. The monks founded a novitiate in 1935, but the monastery lasted only five years before the Soviet government arrived. Unfortunately, you won't be able to go inside, as it has since been converted into a residential apartment block.

There is also accommodation available in Pajūris. One of the options is the Šerpyčiai homestead, where the owners will welcome you for the night. Another accommodation option, the Pajūris Recreational Campsite, invites you to unwind amidst nature, right next to the Jūra River. Pajūris Recreation Area is a newly renovated, public, and spacious area offering a variety of amenities, including gazebos, basketball, volleyball, and football courts, parking lots, sandy beaches, and convenient access. It’s a fantastic spot for an overnight camping experience with tents. The Pajūris Recreational Campsite is free of charge and is situated on the left bank of a bend in the Jūra River. Enjoy the starry skies as you camp under the open heavens.

Pajūris offers two shops (Jūra and Tėviškė), two dining spots (J. Valaitis café and the restaurant-bar Jūra), and a pharmacy, so be sure to stock up on essentials.

While hiking through Pajūris, make sure to visit the square and memorial dedicated to the town's exiles, where a replica of the exile wagon stands. Also, admire the Pajūris Holy Trinity Church, built in 1830. The church was funded by Mykolas Valavičius, the son of the builder of the first church and the owner of a local manor. The Pajūris Holy Trinity Church is a late-classical plastered brick structure, featuring a six-column portico. The church stands out in the townscape with its wooden rectangular tower, which rises above the main facade. The churchyard is enclosed by a traditional stone wall, featuring a distinctive main gate. As you head towards Didkiemis, you'll encounter a Soviet army structure known as the Molotov Line pillbox. This defensive structure was built by the Soviet army between 1940 and 1941. The structure is octagonal, made of concrete, and deeply embedded in the ground. The Molotov Line was made up of four fortification districts: Telšiai, Šiauliai, Kaunas, and Alytus. The Šilalė district was part of the Šiauliai district, which included 6 fortification points. The line extends from Pajūris (in the Šilalė district) to Jurbarkas, covering a total distance of approximately 90 km.

As you travel from Pajūris to Didkiemis, you'll be surrounded by nature, with the sounds of the nearby Jūra River accompanying you. There will be no shops along this stretch of the journey. In the village of Vartulėnai, not far from Didkiemis, along the path by the Jūra River, you'll encounter another pillbox. The Vartulėnai pillbox is a semi-caponier structure with two firing openings, characteristic of seaside defence areas. Similar to its neighbouring structures, it's a large, sturdy reinforced concrete construction. It was constructed in 1941 on a hill that had been cleared for gravel extraction during the Soviet era. The building's foundations have thus been uncovered, allowing the impressive structure to be admired in its entirety.

While in Didkiemis, be sure to visit the Church of the Holy Guardian Angels, constructed in 1796 at the expense of the landlord Ignotas Daujotas. The church was rebuilt in 1853, yet it retains its pure vernacular style, preserving the traditions of the earliest churches in Samogitia. The church features a crossed layout with a single nave and an open, uninterrupted interior space.

In Didkiemis, you can find accommodation in a community home. The village has an Aibė store.

USEFUL LINKS:

 

PILIGRIM ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION

 

Note: The table only lists the locations accommodating pilgrims.

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