Finding the Spirit of Resistance in a remote Estonian forest
Image credit: Haus of Hiatus
My mini bikepacking expedition this week took me to a remote forest in Estonia, to find a replica of an underground ‘Forest Brothers’ bunker, something that pulls together 2 of my strong interests, adventure and resilience!
Epitomising an inspiring spirit of resistance that I strongly resonate with, the ‘Forest Brothers’ (‘Metsavennad’ in Estonian) were a resistance movement composed of an estimated 1,000 members who were active across Estonia, to fight and harass the occupying forces during and after the second world war. Their tactics were unconventional for the time, using surprise to strike fear into weary patrols, then quickly meld back into nature like phantoms. In my mind, this type of warfare is highly comparable to modern-day special forces.
Image credit: Haus of Hiatus
Finding the bunker
Despite having a lot of work to do, it’s the summer months and I want to explore more of this captivating country, so I take my bike on a train from Tallinn to Rakvere that costs just under €9 (where a personal ticket alone would be under €6), which makes it an incredibly affordable way to explore. A few hours later and I’m in Rakvere, a town I know well I cycled through here in September last year on a personal goal to complete the Estonia leg of the Eurovelo 11 route.
I exit the train and start heading south past the stunning Rakvere castle into the giant forest that spans the area.
It feels a little like an Indiana Jones film, Famous Five book, and Lara Croft Tomb Raider video game as I cycle through the forest looking for this tiny hole in the ground with such a fascinating history. The area is well signposted, and Google Maps has the location pretty much spot on, meaning I don’t have to spend much time backtracking.
Inside the bunker
The bunker location is subtle and very poignant, with a ring of wooden seats and a firepit. The entrance to the bunker is visible despite it being a doorway into the ground.
The replica bunker is tiny, cramped, and cold (hence the heater that was built into it) yet provides visitors with a visceral opportunity to experience the conditions and challenges faced by the Forest Brothers as they fought against occupation.
The bunker is bought to life with an information board highlighting two forest brothers’ story that really exemplifies the risks and dangers faced by the resistance movement, something I can really identify with as a former Royal Marines Commando officer that’s learned a lot about how challenging it is to operate this type of harassing guerrilla tactics when resources are highly constrained, and you don’t have the sanctity of somewhere warm and safe to recover. But this resistance went on for many years, which is an unbelievable level of resilience for me.
I resist the urge to spend a night in the cabin as I’m not sure if it’s allowed, however I’m starting to get hungry after many hours of cycling in the warm weather, so decide to find a camp spot to set my tent up in ahead of a long ride back to Rakvere for an early afternoon train. I want to enter my first bikepacking race around Estonia later this year, the ‘Kõkõva 800’ and use it to highlight my shortcomings ahead of the Silk Road Mountain race next year.
So I bid farewell to this piece of history, and cycle off into the woods to find some soft ground to pitch my tent and make my little camp.
This 24-hour bikepacking trip has inspired me to visit more of these locations using this sustainable tourism method that combines a little adventure with fascinating education – and definitely something I’ll be documenting along the way.
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