Valaste Waterfall is located in the northern part of Estonia, Ida-Virumas county, in the Ontika region. It is the highest waterfall in Estonia. Originally it was about 25 metres high, but gradually the water deepened the foot and now the waterfall is 30.5 metres high. The locals call it the Red Tail tail. In the spring, during heavy snow and ice melt, or during the period of or when there is a lot of rain, there is a strong flow of water that passes through fields and thus the water takes on a rich red hue. A fairy-tale appearance the waterfall takes on a fairy-tale appearance in winter, when the water freezes and overlaps to form bizarre magical shapes.
The first account of the Valaste Falls dates back to 1840 and was published in a German newspaper, and all readers of the article were urged encouraged to visit this amazing place and enjoy its beauty. River Valaste River, which feeds the waterfall, is referred to as "the big ditch". Legend tells of a man named Kraavi Yuri (Ditch Yuri) digging a ditch, creating the river and the waterfall. This legend is partly true. Indeed, the river is a man-made creation created during the drainage works, but the waterfall is a natural phenomenon.
In 1996, a commission of the Academy of Sciences declared the waterfall a natural heritage and a national symbol of Estonia. In 1997, a viewing platform was built right in front of the waterfall. It also offers an interesting view of the a picturesque layered outcrop formed more than 500 million years ago and therefore of great interest to geologists. There is a car park car park and an information board.
