In a nutshell
- The lake at Rummu quarry reaches a maximum depth of 14 metres, and summer water temperature sits at 15.0-20.0 °C.[1][2]
- Certified divers can join weekly dives run by Rummu Diving & WaterSports, along with open water dives for incomplete courses and full OWD courses.[3]
- Rummu quarry is an unofficial and unguarded place for swimming or diving, and locals usually come to swim in summer.[4]
- FlixBus runs 2 rides each day between Tallinn and Rummu, and the road transfer from the quarry to Tallinn is 45 km with an estimated time of 50 min.[5][6]
- The Rummu Quarry, Coastal Cliffs & Keila Waterfall tour runs 6 hours from US$144 in a small group limited to 7 participants.[7]
- Top choice Rummu, Cliffs & Keila from US$144 Duration6 hours[7]Group sizeLimited to 7 participants[7]Rating4.76 from 133 reviews[7]CancellationFree up to 24 hours[7] Check availability
- Paldiski & Rummu from US$127 Duration7 hours[8]Group sizeLimited to 8 participants[8]Rating4.15 from 6 reviews[8]CancellationFree up to 24 hours[8] See this tour
- Jägala & Harju County from US$135 Duration4 hours[9]Group sizeLimited to 7 participants[9]Rating4.86 from 114 reviews[9]CancellationFree up to 24 hours[9] See this tour
Keila waterfall is located on Keila River in Harju County, Keila rural municipality, Keila-Joa small town. A full 6 metres high, and tens of metres wide, Keila waterfall is the third largest waterfall in Estonia; after the Narva and Jägala waterfalls.
Is Rummu worth a dive day?
Know before you leave
- Swimming and diving here are unofficial and unguarded, so bring a buddy and your own judgement
- Summer water sits at 15.0-20.0 °C, so a wetsuit makes the difference[2]
- Certified divers can book weekly dives with Rummu Diving & WaterSports[3]
- The quarry area is open all year round, every day from 10:00 to 20:00[10]
What Rummu quarry diving is like
Rummu is a flooded limestone quarry in north-west Estonia, sitting beside the walls of a former Soviet prison. What makes it strange and photogenic is the way the water swallowed the workings. Multi-storey concrete buildings stand half submerged with their windows above the waterline, corridors run into nothing, and pale sandy quarry walls drop into bright turquoise water. The quarry began to fill with water after the nearby prison closed after 1991, when the pumps that kept the quarry dry were shut down.[11] Divers and snorkellers here fin between ruins rather than reefs.
The lake is not deep by diving standards. Its maximum depth is 14 metres, and much of the interesting structure sits well above that.[1] A single tank goes a long way here. Before you plan anything, be clear about the status of the site: Rummu quarry is an unofficial and unguarded place for swimming or diving, and locals usually come to swim in summer.[4] There are no lifeguards, no marked entry points and nobody checking certification. Treat it as wild water and plan accordingly.
Rummu quarry scuba diving for certified divers
Certified divers do not have to work it out alone. Rummu Diving & WaterSports organizes weekly dives for certified divers, open water dives for those whose courses are incomplete, and full OWD courses.[3] Joining an organised dive gives you local knowledge about where the buildings sit, how the bottom behaves and where to enter without churning up the visibility. If your last dive was a while ago, a weekly dive is a gentle way back into the water.
The shape of a Rummu dive day is straightforward. You kit up on the shore, walk in, and work along the submerged buildings, keeping an eye on your air and your buddy. This is slow diving rather than deep diving. Buoyancy matters more than depth, because the bottom is soft in places and easy to disturb, and a careless fin kick can turn a clear view into a cloud. Stay within your training and your comfort zone.
If you are building your own trip, Tallinn is the simplest base, and the quarry is also within reach of Paldiski and the north-west coast. Check your kit before you travel. Rental options close to the quarry are limited, and a missing fin can end a dive day. Standard air is plenty at these depths, and a relaxed profile with a slow ascent is all the plan you need.
Half-submerged buildings and turquoise water at Rummu quarry in north-west Estonia.
Rummu quarry snorkeling and swimming
Snorkelling asks less of you than a full dive. A mask, snorkel and fins let you drift over the submerged walls and peer down into flooded rooms, and the shallow shelves are where most of the visible structure sits. The water is mild rather than warm: the summer water temperature at Rummu Quarry is 15.0-20.0 °C.[2] A thin wetsuit turns a quick dip into a comfortable hour.
Swimming here is a local habit rather than a managed facility. The shore is uneven, the water deepens quickly in places, and the ruins have edges and metal you cannot see from the surface. Go with a buddy, keep children close, and give it a miss if the wind is up or the water feels cold to you. If you are not a confident open-water swimmer, a guided day trip that keeps you on the shore is still a very good day out.
The Rummu quarry underwater world
What lies below the surface is a flooded workplace, not a lake that formed over centuries. Staircases lead down into open water, corridors run between buildings, and the machines left behind have become hard structure where algae and small fish gather. Light bounces off the pale limestone and gives the lake its colour, so the shallows can look almost tropical on a bright day while the deeper water stays dim and green.
Snorkellers and divers end up looking at much the same things from different angles. Photographers tend to work the building edges and the drop-offs, where the contrast between concrete and water is strongest. Divers should plan a route that keeps them near the structures with enough air to come back slowly. Snorkellers do best over the shallow shelves, where the bottom stays visible and the ruins feel close.
from US$144
The Tallinn day tour to Rummu quarry, the coastal cliffs and Keila waterfall runs 6 hours in a group limited to 7 participants.[7]
How to get to Rummu from Tallinn
FlixBus runs 2 rides each day between Tallinn and Rummu.[5] By road, the transfer from Rummu Quarry & Prison to Tallinn is 45 km with an estimated time of 50 min.[6] That makes the quarry very doable as a half-day run if you have a car, and simple enough by bus if you are willing to build your day around two departures.
Guided tours take the transport question off your plate entirely. The Tallinn: Rummu Quarry, Coastal Cliffs & Keila Waterfall tour collects you in a van and links the coast in one loop, with stops at Suurupi, Keila Waterfall, Paldiski, Pakri Lighthouse and Rummu Quarry before the drive back.[7] It runs 6 hours with a group limited to 7 participants.[7] Keila waterfall is 6 metres high, a wide curtain of water pouring over a limestone ledge, and it is easy to pair with the quarry in one day.[12]
If you are driving yourself, the north-west coast road strings the sights together in a way that suits a slow day out, with the quarry as the final stop before the return to Tallinn. Parking near the quarry is straightforward, and the walk from a car to the water is short. Public transport suits a shorter visit, so match your plan to the timetable you can actually use.
Guided day trips that include Rummu
The Tallinn: Rummu Quarry, Coastal Cliffs & Keila Waterfall day trip is from US$144 and rated 4.76 from 133 reviews.[7] It runs 6 hours, is limited to 7 participants and has a live guide in English.[7] You can reserve now and pay later, and free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[7]
Other listings cover different ground. From Tallinn: Paldiski Soviet Era Sights and Rummu Quarry is from US$127, runs 7 hours and stops at Suurupi, Turisalu, Keila Waterfall, Paldiski, Pakri Cliff and Rummu Quarry.[8] The Jägala Waterfall and Harju County tour is from US$135 and rated 4.86 from 114 reviews.[9] For time on the water rather than under it, the Rummu Quarry SUP & Snorkel Tour with Transfer from Tallinn is from US$125 and limited to 4 participants.[13]
When to go and what to bring
Rummu Quarry is open all year round every day from 10:00 to 20:00.[10] Summer is the obvious season for swimming and diving, when the water sits at 15.0-20.0 °C.[2] Winter changes the place completely: a ticket to the Rummu skating rink includes access to the Rummu quarry in winter, along with the skating rink, the prison and an audio guide, from €10 per person or €20 per family.[14]
You can stay close to the water rather than driving back to the city. Rummu Caravan Park, in Rummu Quarry, offers overnight accommodation for motorhomes, caravans and tents.[15] Sauna rituals are offered at Paekalda Holiday Center.[16] A night here turns a rushed day trip into a slow morning swim with the ruins to yourself.
Pack for a cool, exposed coast whatever the month. Layers, a windproof jacket and shoes with grip cover the ruins, the sandy paths and the cliff tops, and a wetsuit, hood and gloves make spring and autumn water far more comfortable. Bring water, a dry bag for your phone and a towel, and remember that the site is unguarded, so leave nothing to chance.
How long the Rummu day tours run
Durations in hours from the GetYourGuide listings cited here:[7],[8],[17],[13],[9].
From-prices for Rummu day trips
US dollar from-prices from the GetYourGuide listings cited here:[7],[8],[13],[18].
When to book and when to go
Plan your Rummu quarry dive
Check the water
Summer water at Rummu Quarry is 15.0-20.0 °C, so a wetsuit decides how long you stay in.[2]
Book a dive
Rummu Diving & WaterSports runs weekly dives for certified divers and open water dives for incomplete courses.[3]
Arrange the transfer
FlixBus runs 2 rides each day between Tallinn and Rummu, and the road transfer is 45 km.[5][6]
Time your visit
The quarry is open all year round every day from 10:00 to 20:00.[10]
Dive with a buddy
Rummu is an unofficial and unguarded place for swimming or diving; bring a buddy and your own kit.[4]
See Rummu quarry, the cliffs and Keila waterfall in one day
from US$144Reserve now & pay later
