01/15 Liepaja - Pavilosta (Letonia). 66km. (Iron Curtain Trail)

O camiño do “Telón de Aceiro” (Iron Curtain Trail), percorre desde o a antiga fronteira entre o Este e o Oeste Europeo, os bloques que dividían Europa na segunda metade do século XX (a URSS, Alemaña Oriental, Polonia, Hungría, Bulgaria, Romanía -o coñecido como Pacto de Varsovia- a un lado e o resto de países europeos ao outro). Da comezo no Océano Glacial Ártico (na fronteira entre Noruega e a actual Rusia) e remata no Mar Negro (entre Bulgaria e Grecia). Na actualidade forma parte dun itinerario histórico e cultural europeo, e pode recorrese en bicicleta sendo tamén coñecida como a ruta EuroVelo 13.
A serie de tracks (ata un total de 15) que comeza con este entre Liepaja e Pavilosta, describe a viaxe no verán do 2019 pola costa báltica de Letonia e Estonia, e ten tres partes ben diferenciadas, a primeira e a terceira (entre Liepaja e Parnu, e entre Narva e Talín) axústanse ao camiño orixinal da Cortina de Aceiro, mentres que entre Parnu e Narva (a segunda parte da viaxe), atravésase o interior Estonio en diagonal SO-NE. En total pouco máis dos 1.200 Km.
A topografía da viaxe é inimaxinable para un galego, a inexistencia de pendentes é tal que cando atopas unha faslle unha foto. Só nunha ocasión pasas do 100 metros de altura snm (no interior, entre Turi e Rakvere, 136 metros), pero normalmente non pasa do 30 metros snm, polo que resulta cómoda e agradable de pedalear. O vento normalmente levámolo de costas, o que agradécese xa que en ocasións faise notar. O tempo é voluble e a chuvia algo a non descartar,aínda que nesta viaxe non foi moi frecuente.

1 - Liepaja – Pavilosta: 66 Km
A Liepaja, a cidade na que nace o vento, pode chegarse en Ferry desde Travermunde (Alemania), son 15 horas de navegación. Xunto coa veciña Karosta (que significa Porto de Guerra), e ata a desaparición da URSS esta cidade non aparecía nos mapas por mor do porto/industria militar que albergaba, e incluso para entrar e saír dela era necesarios permisos específicos. Hoxe resulta una cidade amable e bonita de visitar. En 2019, a ponte móbil que cruzando o canal da entrada en Karosta estaba pechada e en obras, polo que houbo que recorrer todo o perímetro do canal.
En Pavilosta non hai moito onde elixir para durmir e comer. Nas dunas é posible acampar nun cámping informal, agradable e barato, no que ademais pode tomarse unha cervexa e un prato de comida quente.

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The Iron Curtain Trail runs from the ancient border between Eastern and Western Europe, the blocks that divided Europe in the second half of the twentieth century (USSR, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania -the Warsaw Pact- and the rest of European countries). It begins in the Arctic Ocean (on the border between Norway and Russia) and ends in the Black Sea (between Bulgaria and Greece). It is currently part of a European historical and cultural itinerary, and can be cycled as the EuroVelo 13 route.
The series of tracks (up to a total of 15) that begins with this one between Liepaja and Pavilosta, describes the trip in the summer of 2019 by the Baltic coast of Latvia and Estonia, and has three well differentiated parts, the first and the third (between Liepaja and Parnu, and between Narva and Tallinn) fit the original path of the Iron Curtain, while between Parnu and Narva (the second part of the journey), the Estonian interior is crossed diagonally SW-NE. In total just over 1,200 km.
The topography of the trip is unimaginable for a Galician, the lack of slopes is such that when you find one you take a photo. Only once does it exceed 100 meters above sea level (inland, between Turi and Rakvere, 136 meters), but it usually does not exceed 30 meters above sea level, so it is comfortable and pleasant to pedal. We usually carry the wind on our backs, which is appreciated as it is sometimes noticed. The weather is volatile and the rain something not to be ruled out, although on this trip it was not very frequent.

1 - Liepaja – Pavilosta: 66 Km
Liepaja, the city where the wind is born, can be reached by ferry from Travermunde (Germany). The city (and neighboring Karosta) did not appeared on the maps until the demise of the USSR because of the port/ military industry they housed, and even to enter and leave an authorization were required. Today it is a friendly and beautiful city to visit. In 2019, the mobile bridge to Karosta was closed, so it could not be crossed.
In Pavilosta there is not much to choose to sleep and eat. In the dunes it is possible to camp in a casual, pleasant and cheap campsite, where you can also have a beer and a hot meal.