Between Didžiasalis village and the resort town of Druskininkai, the Forest Trail leads through a coniferous forest with abundant berry and mushroom spots. Before Druskininkai, the Forest Trail merges with the Nemunas road, turns around the Druskininkai Snow Arena and continues along the pedestrian and bicycle path to the Park Bridge across the Nemunas river. After crossing the bridge, the Forest Trail continues on Maironio street. and continues along the small streets of the historic Druskininkai resort and the park roads, crossing the Ratnyčia river and the forest park on the right bank of the Nemunas. The route behind Veisiejai street goes along the sidewalk of Neravų street and after about 1 km turns left into Sodžiaus street, which at the end of Neravai village becomes a beautiful forest road. This is where Dzūkija National Park begins. The Forest Trail turns around Viečiūnai village, opening a beautiful landscape to the Liškiava monastery on the opposite bank of the Nemunas. The Forest Trail then leads to Žiogeliai village along a beautiful secluded forest road.
Practical information
Length: 23 km
Duration: 6 – 8 h
Starting point: Didžiasalis, by the farm “Augų ūkis”
End point: Žiogeliai village
The course of the route: Didžiasalis – Druskininkai – Viečiūnai – Žiogeliai
Road surface: Gravel and forest roads, in Druskininkai – asphalt sidewalks, pedestrian / bicycle sidewalks, pavement.
Difficulty: Medium
Danger points: Be careful when walking along the side of the road!
Good to know! In Druskininkai it is recommended to provide food for this and the next section.
Alternatives: The route can be divided into two parts and you can spend the night in Druskininkai. It is worth spending the day to see Druskininkai and take a boat trip along the Nemunas to Liškiava. You can get by an air funicular from the Snow Arena to Druskininkai Water Park (Maironio street), shortening the road by two kilometres.
Nature:
More than 2,000 species of cap mushrooms are found throughout Lithuania, of which about 380 species are edible. However, ~ 120-140 mushroom species are used in practice. In the Dzūkija ethnographic region, the land is infertile, it is covered by the largest forest massifs in Lithuania, growing in sandy soil, therefore in Dzūkija picking berries and mushrooms, especially chanterelles, was very important both as a source of livelihood and profit. The basic rule of mushrooming is to collect and use for food only those mushrooms that you know well and are not in doubt about! In summer and autumn, the great complement to food supplies and a source of vitamins are wild berries: wild strawberries, wild raspberries, blueberries, bog bilberries, blackberries, lingonberries and guelder roses.
Tourism information:
- Druskininkai Tourism and Business Information Centre
Address: M. K. Čiurlionio street 65, Druskininkai; Phone: +370 31351777; Website: https://druskininkai.lt
More information about the route (accommodation, catering, shops, map, GPX coordinates) - https://baltictrails.eu/lt/forest/day/130
