Cliff strata
Blue and orange layers in a rock amphitheatre.
Aleksander Kaasik — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dimkagfx — CC BY 3.0 · Zairon — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hei1972 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Steffkro — CC BY-SA 4.0
Valaste Waterfall is the highest waterfall in Estonia and neighbouring regions, at 30.5 m. It forms where Valaste Creek drops over the Baltic Klint near the coast of the Gulf of Finland, between Ontika and Valaste, and it is a popular stop in the country's northeast. The site once had a staircase and a viewing platform opposite the falls, but the platform was taken out of service and the stairs to it closed in 2013. A new staircase with platforms and walkways down to the shore of the Gulf of Finland opened to the public in 2018. The old bridge frame appears in some photographs, so do not rely on it. The cliff wall draws the eye more than the water itself, exposing rock layers of blue, grey and orange in a semicircular amphitheatre. The creek can run thin in summer and grows stronger in spring, while in winter the spray builds into huge columns of ice, which many people consider the best time to come. The waterfall lies about 49.6 km from Narva Castle and 10.6 km from Jõhvi in a straight line, and about 146 km from Tallinn. The site has a car park and explanatory signs. The stairs can be slippery in winter, so hold the railing and wear sturdy shoes, and do not go past the barriers at the cliff edge.
Blue and orange layers in a rock amphitheatre.
Frozen spray coats the wall in winter.
Walkways down to the Gulf of Finland.
Valaste, Toila Parish, Estonia
Spring for stronger flow and winter for the ice columns. Summer flow can be thin.
Yes, by the stairs and walkways opened in 2018, taking care in frost.