The Dancing Forest is one of the most famous and visited natural attractions of the Curonian Spit (Kaliningrad Region, Russia).
Another unofficial name of the attractionis "Drunk Forest".
The dancing forest is an ecological trail (hiking route), 800 meters long, which runs along the part of the Curonian Spit - on the 37th kilometer of the spit, 4 kilometers north of the village of Rybachy.
There is a Dancing forest in the direction of the Kursk Bay from the road 27A-015 (to the right of the road, if you move from Zelenogradsk). On the road there will be an information sign "Dancing Forest", followed by a right turn.
There is a parking lot near the route, there are souvenir shops and cafes.
The dancing forest is a coniferous forest, the tree trunks of which are quite thin and loop in bizarre zigzags, and several trees have trunks of a "twisted" shape at all. For this reason, the forest was called "Dancing".
The route introduces guests to an unusual section of pine forest planted in the early 60s of the 20th century on the Round Dune (German name: Runderberg-Round Mountain) to strengthen the sands of the Curonian Spit. Unlike most of the dunes of the Curonian Spit, which stretch along the shore of the Curonian Lagoon, the free-standing Round dune is located directly on the palva-a flat wooded plain located between the sea and the bay.
Along the "Dancing Forest" route, wooden decking has been laid and information stands have been placed. And at the beginning of the route, the foundations of the old German gliding school that existed on the Curonian Spit from 1922 to 1945 have been preserved.
There are several versions of the origin of curved and twisted into rings of "dancing" tree trunks: biological, bioenergetic and geoanomic.
Thus, the cause of curved trunks is called the features of geomagnetic fields, the soil features of the area, strong winds in different directions and damage to young pine trees by the caterpillars of the wintering butterfly (Rhyacionia buoliana). The caterpillars damage pine shoots and young pines, eating the developing apical buds, as a result of which further growth of the tree occurs due to the lateral bud as the main one and, deformation of the trunk, after which the tree acquires an unusual shape.
After the end of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, under the terms of which Germany was forbidden to have motor aircraft. This was the reason for the rapid development of gliding sports. One of the largest German flight schools was located on the Curonian Spit.
The project of the flight school was designed by architects Gottgen and Opperman, and included a control building, a hangar and a workshop with an engine room. Soon new hangars with training aircraft appeared in Pilkoppen (now the village of Morskoye on the Curonian Spit).
In total, during the existence of the glider school, about 30,000 pilots were trained there. The first glider launch in Rossitten (now the village of Rybachy of the Curonian Spit) took place on October 20, 1922, the last-on January 18, 1945.
Visiting the route "Dancing forest" is free (free of charge).
Coordinates of the beginning of the route "Dancing Forest": 55°10'55.4" N 20°51'39.5" E (55.182057, 20.860981).
You can get to the Curonian Spit, including to the Dancing Forest, by taxi or car from anywhere in the Kaliningrad region, as well as by buses from the center of Kaliningrad, from Zelenogradsk and Svetlogorsk (including Otradnoye and Pionerskiy resort).
More information about all the ways to get to the Curonian Spit, about the entrance to the spit and how to move along it, can be found here →
You can also visit the Curonian Spit, including the Dancing Forest, with an excursion
Excursions to the Curonian Spit from Kaliningrad
Excursions to the Curonian Spit from Svetlogorsk
Excursions to the Curonian Spit from Zelenogradsk
You can stay on the Curonian Spit in the villages of Lesnoy, Rybachy and Morskoe. There are hotels, apartments, holiday homes, camp sites.
All accommodation facilities in the village of Lesnoy can be viewed and booked here
All accommodation facilities in the village of Rybachy can be viewed and booked here
All accommodation facilities in the village of Morskoye can be viewed and booked here
