I have visited many bogs this year and this time the story is a continuation of these trips. The bogs have probably become a favourite place of the people this year, because over and over again one hears that someone has discovered the Estonian bogs for themselves.

So the destination was Marimetsa bog. To be ashamed, but I hadn’t been there. I’ve been everywhere else, but not there. So I fixed this error.

I chose a day when it was a few minus degrees outside and a promise of some sun. And the weather forecast was pretty accurate. The sun was even an hour longer than promised. The main disadvantage was the wind, which was quite strong, so I was afraid that the drone could not be flown. But luckily I still got to fly it a little. About that later.

The starting point was Tallinn and I headed straight to Marimetsa bog. It was a big surprise to drive 110 km/h on the Tallinn-Pärnu highway. Therefore, a little time could be saved. I was there in about an hour. When I arrived, I found 2 cars in the parking lot. Absolutely normal.

I took my photo bag and started the journey. The length of the hike was to be about 9 km. It would take maybe 2-3 hours to walk, but if I have to take pictures, it will take much longer.

In the past, I had assumed that I would first look at what to capture and on the way back I would take pictures, but now my starting point had changed. Pictures had to be taken as soon as something caught the eye. Who knows what’s in the view later and interfering with taking pictures. So I moved quietly towards the bog and took pictures.

On the way to the bog, I was met by two groups of people who probably came with the two cars I had seen in the parking lot. This meant that there was no one left in the bog. And so it was.

Walking on the bog boardwalk, the road at times became quite slippery, because there was a thin layer of ice on it and in addition, the boardwalk was slightly sloping in places. This meant that ice grippers had to be used. I put them on my boots. This time actually not with big nails, but with small ones.

There was a strong wind in the bog, which made shooting quite difficult at times.

In the meantime, the weather had become sunny, which brought out the bog colours better.

I reached the lookout tower, or basically the end point of the hiking trail. I once climbed to the top of the lookout tower and then summoned up the courage to fly the drone. This time I was quite fearful, because the strong wind could just take the drone with it. Flying to the maximum altitude was immediately off the agenda that day.

I just had to test how the drone would behave. So I set everything in place. I let the drone up and the sight of it was pretty weird. The drone trembled in the wind like a leaf. The maximum altitude of the drone on that day was about 30 meters. I first flew the drone upwind so that in case of problems it could be brought back to me from the headwind. I took quick pictures and not very far from me. If otherwise I have flown the drone in the wild for a distance of a kilometer, then this time I was limited to about 100-150 meters.

Everything went well with the drone. I got the pictures I needed.

Now I sipped some hot drink, which I had taken along in a thermos, and it was time to start going back. But now people were starting arrive at the bog. They just came and came. To get past each other, we had to step a little aside the boardwalk. There were people who looked like true hikers, some children and older people had also come to see nature. Basically, people were walking into the bog all my way back. Some 50 people or maybe more.

When I had already reached the edge of the bog while walking along the boardwalk, I thought of flying the drone once more, because there were nice patterns on the terrain. But that flight had to be cancelled. I just didn’t dare because the wind had become too strong.

On the way back, I also took various pictures, mainly on the forest road.

When I got back to the parking lot, it was about an hour until darkness. By that time the sun had disappeared behind the clouds. But more and more people came and headed for the bog. There were maybe 40 cars in the parking lot, i.e. the parking lot was full.

My trip to the Marimetsa bog was now over. I took a short meal break in the car. In total, it had taken about 4 hours to hike.

I also planned to drive through Koluvere. I was hoping to be able to make another drone flight there, but the wind there was too strong for that too, so it was time to go home.

At Risti, a high voltage line post has been installed at the crossroads. It could not go uncaptured.

It was an interesting trip, but in retrospect I was not so impressed by the Marimetsa bog. Maybe because there is less open water than elsewhere. Beautiful bog, but not my favourite.

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