Sutu: Long Sandy Beach, Shallow Water and Historical Traces

Sandy beach and warm water at Sutu Beach

Sutu Beach is a long sandy beach where the water becomes deeper comparatively gradually. The beach is also valued for its particularly warm water. Sutu Beach is the only official, maintained and marked sea-sand beach in the entire region. The shoreline therefore combines a long stretch of sand with a gradual transition into deeper water and a distinctive water temperature.

Shallow water, islands and coastal meadows

The Sutu Bay protected area protects sandy and muddy shallow-water areas, small islands and skerries, as well as coastal meadows. The coastal meadows are also part of the Sutu Bay protected area. The shallow areas therefore contain two different types of substrate: sand and mud. Small islands and skerries complement the water areas as additional landscape features, while the coastal meadows extend the protected area beyond the immediate shoreline. The Kuusiku main ditch and the Ristioja flow into Sutu Bay. The bay is thus connected to two watercourses. In addition to the beach, the natural area therefore includes shallow-water zones, island areas and coastal land.

Practical orientation at the beach

Sutu Beach has a car park where a large bus can also turn around. This provides a specific turning opportunity at the beach for orientation with such a vehicle. In the Püha landscape entry, Sutu Beach is listed together with the Püha Church and cemeteries.

Archaeological traces and historical connections

Small-scale archaeological fieldwork was carried out in 2004 and 2005 in the area of the former village of Sutu at Sutu Bay. The investigation focused on a suspected harbour site from the Late Iron Age or the early Middle Ages. The suspected harbour site was located at Sutu Bay in the area of the former village of Sutu. The fieldwork belongs to the past and does not describe any present-day use of the site. The historical function of the suspected harbour site has not been conclusively established.

The historical references relate to different periods. The suspected harbour site is associated with the Late Iron Age or the early Middle Ages, while the straight connection between the landing place, manor site and church dates from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Another historical trace can be found on maps from the 17th century. On them, the suspected landing place of Sutu, the manor site of Pia and the Püha Church were connected by a roughly 2.5 km-long straight route; parts of this connection still exist today. A landing place refers to a place for coming ashore and is not automatically equivalent to a harbour. The historical route has only been partially preserved. The entire distance is therefore not described as a fully existing or continuously usable path.

For further orientation in the same broader area, you can also visit Eiste, Pihtla, Kaali, Suur-Rootsi and Püha.

Back to the broader travel overview: Pihtla.