Dune Efa on the Curonian Spit photo

Dune Efa (Orekhovaya) is the highest point on the Curonian Spit. One of the most interesting routes leads to its top where from the observation decks you can see the Great Dune Ridge on the shore of the Curonian Lagoon, the Staroselskaya Dune and the village of Morskoye.

The sand represented a very serious threat to life on the Curonian Spit. That is why in 19 century large-scale works were undertaken to strengthen the sand dunes. Particular attention was paid to the Petsh Dune (now Orekhovaya Dune). It approached the village of Pilkopen (now Morskoye) at a pace of 20 meters a year. It was necessary to stop the sand dune and save this village. 

The village of Pilkopen has a very long history. There was a pagan temple and the fortress of Pilkup in this place. The latter was inhabited by the Krivintsy. In 13 century the Teutonic knights settled there and the village was renamed Pilkopen.

For over 40 years these works on the Petsh Dune were led by a forester Franz Efa, and it was due to his efforts that the dune was stopped and the village of Pilkopen was saved. Since that time the highest point of the Petsh Dune (Orekhovaya Dune) was known as the Efa Height. 

The length of the route to the Efa Height is 2.8 km. The whole route laid with wooden flooring runs along the south-western slope of the dune. But alas, in contrast to the Lithuanian part of the Curonian Spit, in its Russian part it is forbidden to walk on the sandy dunes. You can only admire them from the observation decks. From a remote observation deck you can see the fir flooring called fascines. They are placed in squares. Within them trees and grass are planted so that they can hold sand.