Winter trails in Varnja: Driving karakatitsa on the lake Peipus

Although today we know Varja mainly because in winter it is nice to go fishing on the ice with karakatitsas, in the old days there were 3 winter roads that passed through it. In Varnja, we winter trails festival combines two times - former winter roads and bizarre ice mobiles,karakatitsas.

Varnja is the last place for those coming from the north, where it suffers to come along the land, from there begins Emajõe-Suursoo. In order to put together the local Onion Route culture and old winter trails in Varnja, we take you to visit the winter roads with karakatits, or large rubber wheel vehicles, which help fishermen to reduce their time when going to lake Peipus to get some fishes.

The hike to the winter trails with karakatits, which cuts to Pepsi from Liivanina, is about 5 kilometers. Marko, a village man from Varnja, offers tea, barankas and local stories about both the winter trails and the stories of Peipsiveere at the crossing point of lake Peipsi and Koosa river. Most likely, we hear the lake singing under a thick ice and meet fishermen whose drills can pass through the ice for the last few weeks (soon, the ice is already too thick to cut easily through the ice).

Karakatitsa (karakat to Estonians) is a vehicle with two or more wheels that can be used to move around on the lake Peipus ice and look for better fishing spots. The machines are all exclusively built by the fishermen themselves. No one can say when the first miracle machine was completed. Originally two-wheeled machines with skis in front have become four-wheeled machines over time.

Put on warm clothes and boots, don’t forget a scarf, hat and gloves, and come to Varnja on the seemingly endless winter roads.