Kersalu – Klint and Coastal Hiking Trails

Kersalu combines a distinctive coastal landscape with several signposted hiking options. This makes the place particularly interesting for you if cliffs, views, and longer routes along the coast play an important role in choosing where to stay. The available facts show not only individual sights, but also different ways to experience the landscape.

Klint landscape between Paldiski and Kersalu

The Pakri Peninsula klint stretches for 18 km from Paldiski to Kersalu. Between Kloogaranna and the village of Kersalu, the klint of the North Estonian limestone coast emerges from beneath the beach sediments. As a result, you encounter different forms of landscape along this stretch of coast: beach areas and the limestone cliff visible above them belong to the same described coastal area, although not every section is equally pronounced. At Lahepere Klint, the klint is about 10 metres high where the sea reaches its foot. This height indication explicitly applies to such sections and not generally to the entire coast. The landscape also includes Vanaaseme Waterfall (Kersalu). It is one of three small, relatively low-flow waterfalls at Lahepere Klint. The Kersalu Klint offers beautiful views. Those who prefer nature observation and experiencing the landscape to a tightly packed sightseeing programme will therefore find several clearly distinguishable points of interest here: limestone cliff, waterfall, and viewpoints.

Coastal hiking trails with different route connections

The Kloogaranna–Paldiski hiking trail partly follows the international coastal hiking trail E9. In Lääne-Harju, the coastal hiking trail is divided into the daily stages Paldiski–Kersalu and Kersalu–Laulasmaa. For planning purposes, this gives you a choice between a section associated with Kersalu as a stage destination and the longer Kloogaranna–Paldiski route, without implying any specific walking time. The coastal hiking trail in Lääne-Harju is part of the E9 long-distance hiking trail, which runs from Portugal to Narva. This international classification also makes the trail interesting for travellers who want to place a regional hike within a larger European coastal route. The international E9 coastal hiking trail is marked with blue-and-white stripes on trees, rocks, and posts. One important special feature concerns the Kersalu section of the Kloogaranna–Paldiski coastal hiking trail: in high water or icy conditions, it should be walked along the top of the klint rather than directly by the shore. The route choice described therefore depends on the conditions. This distinction is particularly relevant when planning a day of coastal hiking, because the shore route is not recommended in either of these situations.

An additional historical connection

In addition to the coastal formations and hiking trails, the nearby area also offers a cultural point of interest. The cemetery of the Leetse-Lepiku farm is the burial place of the artist Nikolai Triik. This means that a stay in Kersalu can be viewed not only through the coastal landscape; a specific historical site adds a connection to Estonian art history alongside the nature experiences. If you would like to compare Kersalu with another place, you can also look at LohusaluLohusalu.

For the higher-level travel overview: Keila Parish.