Waking up on Hiiumaa Island, we had a serious tactical discussion ahead of us. My planned loop for the day was around 130 kilometers because I wanted to see the Kõpu and Ristna lighthouses. While that is a standard touring distance for me, it would have been absolute self-sabotage for Rike with her knee injury.
Since our next accommodation was down near Muda, we made the sensible call to divide and conquer. Rike took a much shorter route to preserve her joints, while I set off on the long loop around the island.
My first target was Kärdla, the main capital of the island. I rolled into town, checked off the obligatory photo-op at the big Hiiumaa sign, and then tried to head to the beach. We had a marker on our map to check out the coast here, but when I arrived, a large hotel completely blocked the entire view. You couldn’t even see the water.
Frustrated by the anti-climactic beach, I turned back toward town and spotted a cozy café called Baabad. I stopped for a coffee and ended up sitting next to a friendly Finnish couple. They were traveling using a clever hybrid method—driving a car but unloading their bikes to tour specific sections of the island. We ended up chatting about random travel topics for a solid hour, which was a great spontaneous break.
Back in the saddle, my next waypoint was Ristimägi (the Hill of Crosses).
Local History: According to lore, this forest clearing is where the Swedish inhabitants of Hiiumaa were forced to leave the island in 1781, and they placed crosses here to say goodbye. Today, travelers leave crosses made of twigs and pine needles for good luck.
Honestly? It didn’t really do it for me. The site did not feel very impressive or special to me, so I didn’t linger long before pushing on.
What followed was a brutal, empty stretch of road. The distance to the next major landmark was massive, and midway through the forest, I suddenly got really hungry. With no towns in sight, I scouted the roadside and decided a random, empty bus stop was my five-star restaurant for the afternoon. I pulled over, inhaled a ready-made noodle salad and a few cereal bars, and got back to business.
The next obstacle was a grinding headwind that fought me the entire way out to the Kõpu Lighthouse.
Kõpu is an absolute beast of a structure. It is one of the oldest operational lighthouses in the entire world, built on the island’s highest point back in 1531 to warn ships away from the notorious Hiiu Shoal. Its massive, heavy stone buttresses look more like a medieval fortress than a traditional tower.
I took a break here, treated myself to another coffee, and then hammered out the final miles to the westernmost tip of the peninsula to see Ristna Lighthouse.
Ristna is completely different from Kõpu—a striking, bright red iron structure ordered from France in the late 1800s. Sadly, it was closed when I arrived, so I could only admire the metalwork from the ground.
With the sightseeing officially done, I had one final challenge left: 50 kilometers of pure, uninterrupted cycling to get down to our accommodation. No more distractions, to get to our accomodation.
This was one of those moments where I was incredibly glad to have my Garmin Edge on the handlebars. Being able to glance down and see exactly how many kilometers remain, and tracking a live, accurate ETA, make a massive psychological difference. Instead of constantly wondering where the destination is, I could just pace myself perfectly.
Meanwhile, Rike had a stellar solo day of her own. She didn’t just hide away to rest the knee. She took a beautiful detour onto Kassari Island, navigating the scenic causeways, finding a quiet spot in the sun to read her book, and thoroughly enjoying the relaxed pace.
I checked in with Rike to give her my approximate arrival time. By the time I finally rolled into our place near Muda, exhausted and completely spent after 130 kilometers, she already had dinner cooking on the stove.
Our accommodation was incredibly unique—an old shed that had been converted for guests. The interior design philosophy was clearly: “What vintage items do we have lying around? Let’s hang all of them on the wall.” It was beautifully eclectic, cozy, and full of character. There is truly nothing better than finishing a long day, eating a hot meal, and relaxing in a quirky island barn.
