Ignalina - not all that bad

People know Ignalina for the nuclear power plant, but after going there this week, I have found that it is among the most pleasant spots in Lithuania.


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People are amazingly friendly, the city is good looking (outside the Soviet built centre) and it is cheap as hell.

Even those coming from Vilnius will notice how cheap the place is because it isn't a capital city and is off the tourism map.

What many people don't know is that Ignalina, where the country's nuclear power plant is located, is that it is on the edge of the Aukstaitija National Park (ANP). ANP is arguably the country's nicest inland location with beautiful lakes, forests full of berries, wild camping in the forests, fishing and more. ANP was the location for the esoteric Lithuanian film, which is worth seeing, "Aš esu tu".

When I went there, there was good weather, a breeze smelling of fresh forest flowers and great scenery. Perhaps the only bad thing about the city is that its only real restaurant is not easy to find. Of course, once you get there, it will be a great experience - in fact it was probably one of the best Lithuanian restaurant experiences I've had in recent years.

Getting there is really easy too - take the train from Vilnius to get there. The train costs around 15 litas and various discounts are available for those under 26 and more. Check the train website for times.

Forest walking (and eating!)

One thing visitors to Lithuania will notice is that the locals love to get out into the forest and enjoy the trees, the lakes, the flowers, the mushrooms and many other things.

So many people leave the big cities in search of weekend summer bliss in fact that you could be forgiven for thinking that the city was deserted. So, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Getting out of the city will be a rewarding experience:

Fresh air

Animal and bird watching

Berry picking (yum!)

Mushroom picking

Herb picking

Lake swimming and rowing

Camping

Photo opportunities

and so on...

My personal favourite from all of the above is berry picking. There is nothing quite like walking along and stuffing yourself with sweet berries while enjoying the sunshine and the forests.

Wild Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Cranberries and Cowberries can all be found growing in the wild and are all safe to eat.

When you are out in the forest looking for berries, you might notice other people doing the same. The locals often come to pick the berries as a means of making money. Some grannies and village people are prolific berry pickers and bring home kilos and kilos of berries for freezing, for jams, for eating fresh or even for selling.

When driving along the highway in the summer you will see people crouched down next to their pickings waiting for people to stop and buy the fruits of their labour (pun intended). You can negotiate with these people, but be aware that their backs could be sore from picking all day and might drive a hard bargain!

If you aren't happy with their prices though, you can just go into the forest yourself and try your luck.

After you've had your fill of berries and walking, look for some wild herbs to use when cooking or to dry out and make tea. Thyme is the most common herb along with dill and continental parsley. Once again these are all perfectly edible.

If you know your mushrooms, you can also pick up some chanterelles or champignons, but BE CAREFUL - some mushrooms are deadly and if you don't know what you are doing, it is best not to try. There is an old saying in Lithuania - "All mushrooms in the forest are edible, but some you can only eat once."

Getting out to the forest won't be as hard as you think. Either get a car and just drive somewhere to the forest OR take a train. Many of the train lines in the country go through dense forest where you can get off at a smaller stop and just walk metres to the forest to start walking and picking. Just be careful to find out when the train goes back to the city and make sure you don't go too far from the tracks lest you get lost.

Happy walking and eating!