Upa: Nature Trails and Island History on Saaremaa

Upa on Saaremaa combines varied trails with local history. When choosing your destination, this offers two different experiences side by side: exercise on illuminated or wood-chip-covered routes, as well as exploring a historic village centre and Upa Prohvetikivi. The history of the uprising on Saaremaa in 1919 is also closely linked to the village.

Nature Trails for Various Activities

The Kudjape–Upa health trails offer several route lengths. The 1 km trail is fully illuminated. In addition, there is a 3 km route and a 5.5 km route covered with wood chips. All three routes are suitable for exercise year-round; in winter, cross-country skiing is also possible there. You can also play disc golf on the Kudjape–Upa health trail. This means that, depending on your preferred activity, a stay can be shaped around leisurely walking, sporting exercise, or a round on the course.

The 5 km Kudjape–Upa nature study trail offers a different perspective on the landscape. It leads through deciduous woodland and a pine forest. The trail complements the health trails with a nature route whose course is shaped by the different types of forest.

Upa Between Village Structure and Cultural Heritage

The stone enclosures stand out in Upa’s historic village centre. They include both historic and more recent examples. The greenery in this area is largely natural, so the appearance of the village is shaped not only by the walls but also by the largely natural vegetation.

A particular point of interest is Upa Prohvetikivi. It is a cultural heritage object, but is not under state protection, and has a notable cultural and historical background on Saaremaa. The stone is known as a meeting place of the Moravian Church. It was used for prayers, singing, and sermons.

Historical Events in February 1919

Upa is also connected with the uprising on Saaremaa in 1919. The uprising lasted from 16 to 21 February 1919. On the evening of 18 February, insurgents established their headquarters in the village of Upa near Kuressaare. There, they waited for reinforcements and ammunition for the attack on the town.

On 21 February 1919, the main forces of the insurgents besieging the town were defeated in a surprise attack in Upa, Vaivere, Kellamäe, and Sikassaare. These clearly defined events in time give exploring the area a historical dimension that differs from its nature and cultural experiences.

Accommodation and Cycling Route Information

Jurna Turismitalu offers accommodation in a roe deer house built at the beginning of the 20th century and extensively renovated since. For cycling route information, a cycling route is also documented that begins about 1 km from Jurna Turismitalu. It leads around Kuressaare to the town of Salme and the Viking Village and is approximately 25 km long. The distance and route length should be understood as approximate figures.

If you would like to consider further destinations in the same broader area as Upa, Nasva and Mändjala are also among them. This keeps the search for accommodation connected with a choice between nature trails, local history, and further destinations on Saaremaa.

To the broader travel overview: Kaarma.