Valaste Waterfall
Encyclopedia
Valaste Waterfall is the highest waterfall
in Estonia
and neighboring regions (30.5 m) situated between Ontika and Valaste in the Kohtla Parish
of the Ida-Viru County
and formed by a stream as it flows over the Baltic Klint
not far from the shore of the Gulf of Finland
. It is a popular tourist attraction with its spray freezing up spectacularly in winter.
There is a parking lot, some explanatory signs, and a very well made trail using a double spiral staircase to get down the cliff. Opposite the waterfall a viewing platform has been built for tourists, and this offers spectacular views of the falls.
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and neighboring regions (30.5 m) situated between Ontika and Valaste in the Kohtla Parish
Kohtla Parish
Kohtla Parish is an Estonian municipality located in Ida-Viru County. It has a population of 1,491 and an area of 101 km².-Villages:Amula, Järve, Kaasikaia, Kaasikvälja, Kabelimetsa, Kohtla, Kukruse, Mõisamaa, Ontika, Paate, Peeri, Roodu, Saka, Servaääre, Täkumetsa, Valaste, Vitsiku.- External...
of the Ida-Viru County
Ida-Viru County
Ida-Viru County , or Ida-Virumaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is the most north-eastern part of the country. The county contains large deposits of oil shale - the main mineral mined in Estonia. As oil shale is used in thermal power plants, the earth in Ida-Viru literally holds the largest...
and formed by a stream as it flows over the Baltic Klint
Baltic Klint
The Baltic Klint is an erosional limestone escarpment on several islands of the Baltic Sea, in Estonia and in Leningrad Oblast of Russia...
not far from the shore of the Gulf of Finland
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland and Estonia all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn...
. It is a popular tourist attraction with its spray freezing up spectacularly in winter.
There is a parking lot, some explanatory signs, and a very well made trail using a double spiral staircase to get down the cliff. Opposite the waterfall a viewing platform has been built for tourists, and this offers spectacular views of the falls.