Eco-trail in a coniferous forest

Creating eco-trails has become very popular recently. The first trails of this kind seemed like a gimmick, and I used to make lists of new trails to visit. But gradually such trails are becoming more and more numerous, and the choice of interesting routes is becoming more diverse. This time I decided to take a walk on the trail called ‘Spruce Hills Hiking Ecological Trail’.

The weather on the weekend was rapidly changing. Rain or sunshine - you never know what to expect in the next three to four hours! That's why I chose a weekend hiking trail so that I wouldn't find myself in a clear field during a downpour. This trail starts near the railway station and runs through rolling hills with clean sandy soil. At the beginning of the route I could wait out the sudden rain at the station, and in the middle of the route you can hide under the fluffy fir trees or in one of the gazebos.

I was lucky with the weather and didn't have to hide from the rain. When I arrived at the start of the trail, the sun was shining brightly and there were only a few light clouds in the sky. The weather only started to deteriorate at the very end of my walk as I walked back to the station (the route of the walk is circular, it starts and ends in the same place). The final photos show how menacing the sky looks near the horizon. The tourists who boarded the train at the previous station were getting very wet.

I used the suburban train to get to the start of the route. Since it was a weekend, the number of suburban trains was increased and additional trains were on the line. I travelled on an old train with no air conditioning and hard benches, but with large windows that opened. Fresh air, scented with pine trees and field grasses, flowed into the train through these windows. I didn't immediately find the beginning of the trail - there are many paths through the forest near the station, and it was difficult to choose the right one from dozens of similar ones. But soon I noticed the markings, and then I had no problems with orientation.

What is an ecological trail? In fact, such a trail is not much different from a regular hiking trail. In my home library I have a paper book published in the 1960s, in which you can find many hiking routes for weekend hikes. It lists a country road, a wooden bridge over a stream, and sometimes even a tree with an intricately curved crown as landmarks. It seems surprising, but in the past, such unreliable landmarks were enough for hikers to safely complete the entire route.

The main advantage of a modern eco-trail is that the route is marked and mapped. You can check your location at any time with your smartphone and orientate yourself with the help of the map in your smartphone or with the help of the large map charts on the boards that are installed near the trail. You can also read other useful and informative information on these boards. Along the trail there are gazebos for resting, and at the beginning of the trail there are also several small sports grounds. You can play volleyball or other sports games there.

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Smartphone	Google Pixel 3a
Location	Kavgolovo, Leningrad region, Russia