Experience trails

We start from Krikliniai Church of the Apparition of St. Virgin Mary The heritage of the wooden architecture of the late 19th century. Teofilis Zubavičius, the researcher of Žuvintas, is buried in the churchyard. We move along Žalioji street towards the forest. You won’t believe it, but at the crossroads you will meet perhaps the world’s only monument to the COVID-19 virus!

Turn into the woods. In the post-war years, Green forest was a refuge for partisans. Morkūnai homestead stood here, where fighters could rest and get food. Today, memorials mark the site of the homestead. Relax at the table, because there is still a long road ahead. Be perceptive and the forest will reward you. After slightly deviating from the path, you will reach the place where extermination squad seriously injured partisan communication officer Janina Morkūnaitė in the spring of 1950. The young girl did not survive…

Let’s get back on track. Will you be able to read the inscription on the old cross by the road? Next, you will turn right and walk along the road to Svalia stream. Huge fir trees give away the venerable age of the bridge, reaching maybe even a hundred years. When you get to the road again, turn left. You will pass the homestead of Margiai village. Light a candle at the place of death of Juozas Miknis, who was tortured by the extermination squad, the place is on the right between the trees. Be sure to visit the restored partisan bunker near the village of Druciškės! It was built by the men of the squad of Povilas Žilis-Klevas in 1948. Turn on the lantern, go down into the bunker and take a long corridor to the main room.

Before leaving the forest, stop by a unique, cheerful campsite, where you can swing on the swings, refresh yourself in the river, and climb into the tree house. From there, you will go to the field side and return to Krikliniai along Eglynas Street, passing the ghost village of Bartkūnai.

Start/finish: Krikliniai church, Kriklinių g. 2, Pumpėnai Eldership (GPS 55.913015, 24.448455)

Hike direction: counter-clockwise

You will start the hike in the birthplace of one of the most famous Lithuanian poets, Bernardas Brazdžionis. Its place is marked by a roofed pole and an old oak tree. The poet spent his childhood here, and returned here in 1989 in an especially sensitive way. You will travel south along the country road, passing only one surviving old homestead of Stebeikiai Village. You will step into the Pumpėnai forest, the paths of which are rarely finished by a hiker. On the hike, you will meet the Svalia River for the first, but not the last time. You will cross it on a bridge and disappear into the forest for a long time. You will hike, enjoy freshness, and tranquillity. Did you believe that Pumpėnai Forest could be so huge? Reevaluate your values. Finally, you will see the homesteads of Račiškės Village in the woods, this means that you are not lost. However, the journey is only half over. You will reach Svalia again and it will accompany you all the way to the Pumpėnai-Rinkūnai road.

This is where the second part of the journey begins. Cross the road, and then while walking on the field road you will reach the reclamation ditch, continue your hike north along it. It will be five kilometers when you will enjoy the wide horizons and be glad that you do not live in the mountains. You will arrive at the stone cross built by the people of Jurgėnai village in 1928 for the 10th anniversary of Independence. Homesteads moved further away, however the cross remained in the fields alone, but survived the years of occupation. On the last kilometer of the hike, you will be friends with Svalia again and together you will return to where you left.

Start/finish: Birthplace of B. Brazdžionis, Stebeikiai village, Pumpėnai Eldership (GPS 55.968874, 24.394358)

Hike direction: clockwise

Map – press here

The route runs through the pine forests of Žalioji giria. Here you will relax from the noise of the city, listen to the sounds of nature, and observe its life. Start your hike from Porijai Village community house – “Seklyčia”. After crossing the small forest at the Balčiškės Village homestead, turn left and you will gradually be engulfed by a dense forest. After walking a little, you will see the first surprise of this hike – a yellowing wooden chapel among the trees. In its churchyard, you will find the grave of Lithuanian partisans, stand under a giant fir tree that has been growing for several centuries. The chapel is alive, St. Augustine’s church festival takes place every August.

Here you will enter the Panevėžys District and continue hiking through the neighboring lands. By the way, the border of the Biržai region is right here. You will reach a lonely homestead in the village of Padagai, it is old but neat. The furthest point of your hike is the village of Linkiamiškis, hidden in the woods. Little by little, you will start to get closer to the finish line. You will meet many anthills on the road, you can rest next to one of them – sit down at a cozy table, make a fire.

After leaving the village of Mažionys, you will turn towards Mykėnai. You will reach an impressive monument to the Freedom Fighters. It lists the names of the fallen partisans of this region. Stop for a while, be silent, ponder about things, and return to Porijai by a straight road.

Start/finish: “Porijų seklyčia”, Daujėnų g., Porijai Village, Daujėnai Eldership (GPS 55.941627, 24.57838)

Hike direction: clockwise

We do not recommend choosing the route in winter and early spring. The route stretches through the surroundings of Krikliniai and Moliūnai. We will start from Krikliniai Church of the Apparition of St. Virgin Mary The heritage of the wooden architecture of the late 19th century. Teofilis Zubavičius, the researcher of Žuvintas, is buried in the churchyard. You will move towards the forest along Parko street. Keep left and you will see an abandoned homestead. In the distance, a mysterious stone with inscriptions looms among the tall pines – a mythological monument. Come closer, maybe you can decipher them. On the other side of the road, you will climb the Moliūnai mound – a defensive fortification. Archaeologists have not revealed its secrets yet.

You will leave the forest and take the country road towards Moliūnai Manor. The homestead that used to belong to Karpiai has lost its charm. The red brick palace is abandoned, but the cowshed is surprising with its impressive architecture. The lands of Moliūnai Manor were once distributed in 1919-1920 to the volunteers who defended the freedom of Lithuania. Just beyond the Pyvesa bridge, you will see a mighty oak in the fields – it is a 7-meter-thick natural monument. After entering the Moliūnai forest, you will make a big circle and exit on the road at Dumbliūnėliai farmer’s homestead. Now the interesting part of the hike awaits you – the Pyvesa ford. There is no other way but forward or backward. You will cross the ford walking on stones, and in the summer you will have fun wading through it. However, it is better to avoid this route in winter and early spring. On the other side of the river you will have to find a field path to the forest or just hike across the meadow. While hiking through the outskirts of the forest you will reach the first homestead of Eglynas Street, from which there are only a couple of kilometers to the finish line.

Start/finish: Krikliniai church, Kriklinių g. 2, Pumpėnai Eldership (GPS 55.913015, 24.448455)

Hike direction: clockwise

Map – Press here

A route for those who like to hike through forests and fields. Start your hike at the narrow gauge tracks where the train driver stopped the train for good. Walk along the edge of the Mustupis ditch. You will reach the birch alley, which leads to the place commemorating the post-war battles. The remains of seven partisans were buried here in 1946. Before that, the occupant forces desecrated them in Joniškėlis market square. Pay your respects to the Freedom Fighters. You will continue past the former Joniškėlis brick factory clay quarry. When you enter the forest, hug the mighty Girelė oak, which reaches 5 meters in circumference. Nearby, you can rest in a cozy campsite, and when it rains, you can hide there from raindrops.

Don’t be afraid to get out of the forest and look around the villages that vanished. You will walk through cultivated fields where the homesteads of the villages of Gailioniškiai and Pagirys stood until recently. Today, their places are marked by lone trees and piles of stones. Don’t be startled by the sounds of hunting in the distance. They are scary to deers, which you will definitely see galloping on the horizon. When you reach the hunters’ tower in the forest, do not turn from the path, go straight through a small clearing and you will end up on the main forest road. It will take you to the finish line. Although, there is still half of a distance left to it through the forest, but the road will be very good.

In autumn or early spring, be prepared to travel on muddy paths, as Pasvalys clay does not absorb the water easily.

Start/finish: Plytinės g. 6, Joniškėlis Village, Joniškėlis vicinity Eldership (GPS 56.036511, 24.150613)

Hike direction: clockwise