During our small trip to Setumaa, we took advantage of being in this region to visit the sand caves of Piusa. These caves emerged as a result of manual mining of glass-sand between 1922 and 1966 and represent a system of underground galleries with sandstone columns and vaulted ceilings. The sand is still used for the glass factory just nearby. In the 1950’s thousands of hibernating bats were discovered in the caves, and they are now part of a natural reserve.
One of the two abandonned caves can be visited. That’s what we did, trying to understand as much as we could the guided tour in estonian.
Then, we walked around, fascinated by all the colours the sand can take from white to dark red. Jonathan even took a little of it for his sand collection.
