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The Taevaskoja nature reserve includes the Kimera Valley, with a winding footpath that is a historically vital route of access to the Taevaskoda Cliffs. The Kimera Valley begins at the intersection of the Himmaste and Taevaskoja roads and ends at the Väike Taevaskoda Cliff (see the attached map). This is a truly magnificent ancient valley!
Before the Second World War the Kimera Valley was also part of the boundary between Võru and Tartu Counties. There used to be a bridge over the river at Väike Taevaskoda, just at the end of the Kimera Valley (see the attached photograph from a private collection). Legend has it that one of the first Christian churches in Southern Estonia was situated on the edge of the Kimera Valley.
This footpath (and previously the bridge) is the logical means of access to the Taevaskoja area for nature enthusiasts who travel here using public transport (trains or buses). The shortest route from the Taevaskoja stop to the cliffs of the same name is via the Kimera Valley. Between 1990 and 2009 the path gradually deteriorated. There were many fallen tree trunks and a lot of undergrowth. The footpath became essentially impassable. In 2009 the Taevaskoja Non-Profit Association restored the path.
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