Kalana – Discover the Hillfort, Quarry and River Landscape

Kalana reveals its distinctive character in three impressive settings: the quarry with its geological history, the river landscape of the Umbusi River and Otissaare Hillfort. Anyone looking for a place with unusual natural and cultural themes for their holiday will find several starting points here for planning their own trip. The choice of a holiday apartment or holiday house can be easily aligned with the experiences you want: should the focus be on geological history, landscape or a historic site?

Quarry, fossils and “Kalana marble”

Limestone was extracted in Kalana for the glass industries of von Lauw. The Kalana quarry is therefore associated not only with the extraction of rock, but also with a remarkable diversity of fossils. Fossils of nautiloids, snails, corals, crinoids, brachiopods, sponges, trilobites and graptolites have been found there. In addition, the Kalana quarry is described as the richest site for fossils of algae species.

The stone extracted in Kalana was called “Kalana marble”. This designation gives the place its own cultural and geological character, without requiring you to consider the different themes separately. For travellers who enjoy exploring landscape history and unusual rocks, the quarry provides a specific focus for planning a day. Families, too, can combine different interests here: while some may find the fossil names fascinating, others may be more interested in the history of the extracted stone.

The Umbusi River and the landscape of Kalana

The Umbusi River rises at the Kalana allikas spring. The river contains a protected spawning and habitat area (KLO3002592). At the same time, the Umbusi River is publicly accessible for use. These details make the river an important part of Kalana’s landscape without presupposing any particular recreational activity. If you would like to take the natural character of a place into account when planning your trip, you can include the Umbusi River as a point of reference alongside the quarry and the hillfort.

Someone primarily interested in fossils and the quarry will plan differently from someone who wants to make the river landscape and the view from the hillfort the focus. This creates a travel plan based not only on the name of the accommodation, but on the specific themes of the place.

Otissaare Hillfort with a historic character

Otissaare Hillfort in Kalana dates from the 11th century and is designated as a place with beautiful views. Kalana Hillfort, also known as Otissaare Hill, is the highest and most clearly recognisable point in the region at 82.3 m. This gives Kalana a historic and scenic character alongside the quarry and the Umbusi River.

For your stay, you can keep the hillfort in mind as a tranquil point of reference for an interest in history, landscape and local settings. Alongside the quarry’s geological themes, the hillfort adds a historical accent: this is not about fossils and rock, but about an 11th-century hillfort and a clearly recognisable point in the landscape. Anyone wishing to take different age groups or interests into account when planning a trip can deliberately place these themes side by side without limiting the stay to just one activity.

Compare further destinations

If you would like to compare destinations in addition to Kalana, you can also view Palamuse, Mustvee, Tõrve, Voore, Voldi and Elistvere. This allows you to combine your search for suitable accommodation with different destinations and holiday focuses.

For the higher-level travel overview: Jõgeva.