Tyrai (situated in the Kliošiai Landscape Reserve) is a unique area where you can enjoy birdsongs all year round. With a bit of luck, as the sun is setting, you can hear the song of the Aquatic Warbler, a rare bird. Tyrai is one of the most important breeding grounds for this bird in Lithuania.
The Tyrai Trail starts halfway between the towns of Priekulė and Dreverna, where the main road crosses the King Wilhelm Canal. There is a convenient resting area there for you to leave your cars and bikes, as the Tyrai Trail is meant for walking. You will find an information stand there indicating the route of the walking trail and giving trail-related educational information in Lithuanian and English.
The path for a scenic walk starts at the King Wilhelm Canal, goes through the forest and turns into an old forest, stumbles into a marsh and winds its way to the floodplain meadows, where the Curonian lagoon lurks behind the reeds. You will hike through an old forest of deciduous and coniferous trees, home to many wild animals, including moose, roe deer, wild boar, foxes, raccoon dogs, badgers, hares and other species, both large and small. In this forest, all processes take place naturally, without human intervention, as the forest takes care of itself. So don’t be surprised to see fallen, rotting trees that host different types of forest insects and are an important part of the forest ecosystem. While travelling along the path, you will spot a swamp in the middle of the forest. The Kretinga Forest Authority, which oversees the Tyrai Forest, has installed a wooden bridge, which will allow you to cross the swamp safely and get a closer look at the vegetation characteristic of this ecosystem.
After leaving the forest, you will reach a waterlogged meadow stretching along the lagoon. The walking path here winds along natural or man-made elevations that can’t be flooded by rising lagoon waters. Every year, there are many birds' nests and breeds in the Tyrai meadow. At the end of the Tyrai Trail, there is a wooden observation tower, installed by the foresters, from which you can see the vastness of the coastal meadows, the lagoon and the landscape of the dunes of the Curonian Spit stretching beyond them.
Walk at a leisurely pace, listen to the forest, observe the differences in ecosystems and enjoy the sounds and smells of nature. The Tyrai Trail is designed for walking and is suitable for the whole family. Its length from the observation tower and back is 6 kilometres. Although the Tyrai Trail offers a relatively easy walk, it can be wet and slippery as it passes through forest and meadow, so make sure to wear suitable walking shoes and tread carefully.
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