Kurshkaya Kosa

Introducing Kurshkaya Kosa

Tall, windswept sand dunes and dense pine forests full of wildlife lie along this dramatic strip of land dividing the tranquil Curonian lagoon from the Baltic Sea. A paradise for both migratory birds and those interested in one of Russia's most fascinating - and least visited - sites, the Kurshkaya Kosa is the Russian half of the narrow, 98km-long Curonian Spit. It's a Unesco World Heritage Site, and a lovely place for exploring.

Fishing and holiday villages dot the eastern coast. The main ones, from south to north, are: Lesnoy (formerly Sarkau); Rybachy (formerly Rossitten), the largest with a population of 1200; and Morskoe (formerly Pillkoppen). Highlights include admiring the dunes (the most magnificent are just south of Morskoe) and quiet walks by the sea or lagoon and through the pine forests.

The Kurshkaya Kosa National Park (21346; Lesnaya ul 7; 9am-6pm), the first national park in Russia, is headquartered in Rybachy, but runs a fascinating bird-ringing centre 7km north of Lesnoy, on the site of what was the world's first ornithological station. Some 25, 000 visitors a year come by to see some of the world's largest bird-trapping nets (one is 15m high, 30m wide and 70m long), which trap an average of 1000 birds a day. A highly worthwhile, by-donation tour of the facilities (best prearranged) will show you how they catch and ring hundreds of birds, including the bluetit, scarlet chaffinch and middle spotted woodpecker, before releasing them. There is also a museum at the headquarters in Rybachy.

In Rybachy, also worth a visit is the red-brick church Temple of Sergei Radonezhsky (1873), reopened in 1990 after being used as a storage room for fishing equipment. The simple interiors are charming.

The Ecotourism Information Centre (28275; Tsentralnaya ul) in Lesnoy works in collabor- ation with the national park and organises excursions, transport and accommodation. You can also rent bikes there - the perfect way to explore the spit.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009