Moving along the Raseiniai–Baisogala road (No. 225) and along its pedestrian sidewalk, the Forest Trail crosses the deep Dubysa valley and turns right at the village of Ginčaičiai. After throwing a wide circle through the surrounding countryside, after 6 km it leads to the Raseiniai–Šiluva road (No. 148) and after about 3 km, crossing the Dubysa valley again, it reaches the Kušeliškė village. For the next 5.5 km, the Forest Trail runs along the Kušeliškė–Lyduvėnai (No. 3516) road, where the famous and scenic Lyduvėnai railway bridge can be seen in the distance. On the bend of the road before the Dubysa motorway bridge, the Forest Trail turns right to the northeast and along the road No. 3544 after 9 km reaches Šiluva, but after another 0.8 km – the centre of the town. At this section, the terrain of the neighbourhood is gradually becoming more pronounced, as it leads to the area where the Dubysa valley alternates with the southern part of the East Žemaitija Upland. The section of the route to Lyduvėnai leads along or nearby the Dubysa Regional Park, but Šiluva is part of the next section – Tytuvėnai Regional Park.
Practical information
Length: 28 km
Duration: 7 – 9 h
Starting point: Kaulakiai village by Dubysa Regional Park Administration (located 0.7 km from the main route)
End point: Šiluva, by the Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The course of the route: Kaulakiai – Ginčaičiai – Bedančiai – Kušeliškė – Lyduvėnai – Naudvaris – Ribukai – Šiluva
Road surface: Asphalt and gravel roads.
Difficulty: Hard
Danger points: Be careful when walking along the side of the road!
Good to know! The shop is only in Šiluva.
Alternatives: The route can also be divided into two days with an overnight stay in the middle.
Nature
In the countryside around Šiluva, during spring and autumn migrations, you can see cranes feeding and resting. The common crane (Grus grus) is a common nesting bird in the bogs of the Baltic States. Cranes are social birds that gather in large migratory flocks of up to 400 or more birds. Young birds and non-nesting adult birds are the first to migrate south. The cranberry is mostly a herbivore, but it also eats a variety of invertebrates during feeding. What is special is the voice of the crane, which can be heard when the birds are flying or when the birds are anxious. When we see cranes, let us be responsible and not disturb them during their rest!
Tourism information:
- Public Institution “Atrask Rasenius”
Address: Vytauto Didžiojo street 17, Raseiniai; Phone: +370 61834611; Website: http://en.atraskraseinius.lt/
- Dubysa Regional Park Visitors Center
Address: Dubysos street 2a, Kaulakiai village, Raseiniai district,; Website: www.dubysa.info
- Šiluva Pilgrim Information Center
Address: M. Jurgaičio street 17, Šiluva; Phone: +370 61811701; Website: www.siluva.lt
More information about the route (accommodation, catering, shops, map, GPX coordinates) - https://baltictrails.eu/en/forest/day/147
